Hernandez, 23, negotiated a narrow path to such luxurious living. Born and raised in Bristol, Conn., a two-hour commute from his current home, Hernandez excelled as a prep star at Bristol Central High, establishing several state receiving records before losing his father, Dennis, to complications from hernia surgery. The roots of Hernandez’s unraveling begin there, by most accounts, but can be traced through his time in Florida and in his first three seasons as a Patriot. Coaches, ranging from Geno Auriemma in AAU, to Urban Meyer in Gainesville, Fla., and now Bill Belichick, have gotten the most out of him on the basketball court and football field, but many also expressed concern about his behavior and maturity as he won a college title and played in a Super Bowl.
“I couldn’t be happier with where I am now and how it worked out,” Hernandez said at Media Day leading up to the Super Bowl in February of 2012. “This is a dream come true.”
Darker days preceded that gilded run. Hernandez was a nightmare for his mother in light of his father’s death, which occurred before senior year in high school.
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