Before he was a Miami Dolphins superfan, Roger Avila Jr. rooted for the New York Jets. Originally from Queens, young Roger was raised to be loyal to his hometown teams. So when the Avilas moved to South Florida in the late 60s/early 70s, he’d have to become a Dolphins fan.

However, honorable traits weren’t the only things passed onto him through the Avila bloodline. For Roger, even the damaging habits that ran in his family played a role in the man he’d become. And just as fire strengthens steel, Roger’s past forged for him a purpose–leading him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Maniac ( mey -nee-ak)

Ironically, it was a football celebration that would change Avila’s life forever. On April 26th, 16 years ago, Roger left the Omni Hotel in downtown Miami headed to his brother’s place during the NFL draft. A day that began with football soon gave way to alcohol and drugs. Alcoholism was a known predisposition to the Avilas.

A fight broke out between the two of them. Only this time, Roger’s brother wielded a weapon. With a baseball bat from inside the home, Roger was subdued. He’d suffer a broken jaw and leg and required medical attention. Furthermore, his wife and kids had witnessed the entire spectacle.

For three months, Roger was unable to work. His wife scurried to make ends meet. All the while, Roger was sinking into a deep depression. Combining morphine, Demerol and other mind-numbing pain killers eventually took a toll on him. He’d had enough.

“I came to a point in my life where I couldn’t shake off my drug addiction. I kept spending the money and leaving my family with out rent and selfish acts on my behalf. A habit I thought I would let go of once I got married, but all I did was bring it into my marriage. That’s when ummm…”

Despite a restraining order against him, Roger swung by the house to grab some personal items. He cashed an insurance check worth a couple of thousand dollars, called his drug dealer and headed to a hotel.

“I’m getting out of this world.”

Roger had no further plans to prosper. He was committed to harming himself. Unfit to manage his own life, Avila was convinced he could end it without a hitch. What happened next seemed almost impossible, but so is the fact that Roger Avila, the Dolfan Maniac, will soon become a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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