NFL star Khalil Mack hopes to bring his money back to Fort Pierce

Anthony Westbury | Treasure Coast Newspapers

Show Caption Hide Caption Video: Port of Fort Pierce St. Lucie County and the City of Fort Pierce want to turn the 290-acre Port of Fort Pierce in to a mega-yacht repair center. KEONA GARDNER/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS

His Oakland Raiders colleague, quarterback Derek Carr, calls Khalil Mack "freakishly gifted."

Mack, 27, is a multiple Pro Bowl defensive end who strikes fear into offenses across the National Football League. Yet to those who know him from his youth in Fort Pierce, Mack is soft-spoken and humble, a strong Christian whose favorite movie is "Mary Poppins."

Despite his fame, Mack cares about the future of those he grew up with.

He is on the verge of landing a multi-year contract with the Raiders that could make him the best-paid defensive player in NFL history.

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It's a good bet some of that money could find its way back to Fort Pierce, Mack told me Thursday.

He is one of three partners of Fort Pierce Yacht & Ship LLC, which is bidding to become the operator of mega-yacht refurbishment facilities at the Port of Fort Pierce.

St. Lucie County commissioners are seeking a company to operate the former Indian River Terminal at the Port of Fort Pierce. They hope that will create well-paying jobs, not only at the terminal itself, but through growth of existing businesses and the creation of new ones within the community and the region.

Request for Qualifications applications were due by June 6. Fort Pierce Yacht & Ship is competing with Derecktor Holdings Inc., the largest mega-yacht shipyard in South Florida, for the contract. The successful bidder will be selected by early August.

The two other principals of Fort Pierce Yacht & Ship are Treasure Coast Lexus and Toyota of Stuart automobile dealer Sanford "Sandy" Woods, and longtime Fort Lauderdale shipyard operator Meyel "Buddy" Haack.

Haack has pioneered bringing mega-yachts to Fort Pierce since 2015.

Khalil Mack returns to Fort Pierce Westwood: 'It's a blessing' Fort Pierce Westwood grad and Chicago Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack had his jersey retired at Fort Pierce Westwood High on May 17, 2018. The school tried to retire his jersey in 2016, but had to cancel the event because of inclement weather.

Khalil's father, Sandy Mack, a program specialist with the Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County, strongly influences how Khalil might invest some of his football earnings.

"It's a great opportunity to give back (to the community)," Khalil Mack told me on the phone from Buffalo, N.Y.

"I represent my last name, having the father I have who understands what is going on in the community. Youth are the most important piece of the puzzle (to improve conditions in the northwest Fort Pierce community)," Khalil said.

"We're looking for changes, reducing the violence in the city. I understand that, growing up in the middle of it."

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Mack grew up on or near 28th Street in Fort Pierce in the early 2000s. Although he kept out of trouble, many of his friends didn't.

"Growing up, a lot of cats would do anything to get a quick buck," Mack recalled. He talked about a close friend who had no father. He had a job at Red Lobster, was playing football and doing well in school.

"Then he robbed the job he was at, just to get a quick buck," Mack said in disbelief.

"Boys get caught up in that life," he said. Mack frequently tagged along with his father when Sandy Mack was running Raw Dawgs, a community crime-prevention organization aimed at keeping young black men out of trouble.

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Mack believes the mega-yacht repair facility could offer trade skills and decent wages to create new avenues of prosperity in Fort Pierce.

"I think it'll be a great change, helping them understand the value of having a trade like plumbing or painting. If you learn a trade, it brings income," he said

The Fort Pierce Yacht & Ship proposal includes an extensive apprenticeship program to teach maritime trade skills in conjunction with Indian River State College.

While Mack is listed as a manager on the company personnel charts, if the bid is successful, he'd be a silent partner.

"No, I won't be hands-on at all," he said with a laugh. "I'm doing lots of other things: training camp, OTAs. I'm training like crazy."

State Rep. Larry Lee Jr., D-Port St. Lucie, is a big believer in Mack's influence on his hometown.

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"He's willing to come back and invest in Fort Pierce. That speaks volumes for him, his parents. He's going to inspire so many young kids and bring a lot of pride to the northwest community.

"I'm proud Khalil has the heart to come back and invest here," Lee said. "He'll be in the NFL Hall of Fame one day."

And I hope Fort Pierce will be in the Florida ports hall of fame one day, too.

Anthony Westbury is a columnist for TCPalm. This column reflects his opinion. Contact him at 772-221-4220, anthony.westbury@tcpalm.com, or follow him @TCPalmWestbury on Twitter.

LISTEN TO KHALIL MACK

Khalil Mack and other Fort Pierce Yacht & Ship partners will be guests on the Pay It Forward Show on WFLM 104.5 FM The Flame from 7 to 8 p.m. June 28.