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CALGARY — Tall, fast and athletic. Tommie Campbell appeared to have it all. He was a multi-sport high school star in football, basketball and track, capturing the Pennsylvania state sprint championship at age 18.

But he lost his scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh after twice being suspended by Dave Wannstedt — a former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach — because of poor academics. He transferred to Edinboro University, an NCAA Division II school, but skipped too many classes.

With no school or team to play for, Campbell took a job as a janitor at Pittsburgh International Airport for two years, beginning in 2008. He earned US$7.50 an hour, $498 every two weeks, after taxes. There were plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, he quipped. Living with his girlfriend at the time, he usually handed her the cheque to manage, not that it went far.

And then came Campbell’s epiphany, one night while cleaning a toilet.