"Ms. Wallace?"

Levi Wallace's mother heard her name called as she walked through a hallway inside the Mal Moore Athletic Facility this April.

It was Derrick Ansley, the Crimson Tide's defensive backs coach.

"I just wanted to tell you that your son is a wonderful person," Ansley told Wendy Wallace. "He has great talent, is very coachable and has done an amazing job for our team."

Levi Wallace might be Alabama's most unlikely success story. A former walk-on from Tucson, Arizona, the redshirt senior cornerback has emerged as a top backup and valuable special teams contributor at powerhouse Alabama despite only receiving interest from schools like Western New Mexico out of high school.

Playing for Alabama is the fulfillment a lifelong dream for Wallace, whose love for the Tide came from his father, Walter.

The success means more because of that and because he knows how special this would be for his dad if he were here to see this.

***

Walter Wallace was born in Tuscaloosa and lived there until joining the United States Air Force when he was 18. His childhood home was close to Bryant-Denny Stadium and he worked at the stadium's concession stands back when legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant roamed the sidelines. It would have been hard for him not to become a huge Crimson Tide football fan.

He passed that love of Alabama football to his two sons, Levi and Lawrence, who both attend the school.

Growing up, Levi's Arizona bedroom was full of Alabama memorabilia. A big picture of Bryant-Denny Stadium covered one wall. Hanging up on the other walls were Tide championship plaques and an Alabama logo sticker.

His brother's room was similar.

"When Alabama games were on TV, we'd all have our positions in the house," Wallace's mother said, laughing. "We were very superstitious, so everyone had to stand over here and not sit down over here. Mom, don't sit down. That type of thing."

Levi's love for Alabama was so strong that his high school coach believes he would have chosen to walk-on for the Tide even if he had scholarship offers from other Power 5 programs.

He enrolled at Alabama in July 2013. It was around that time his father's condition began to worsen.

***

The problems started after a knee surgery in May 2012. Walter still had knee issues after the surgery and began experiencing tingling in his hands.

At first, doctors told Walter he had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and prescribed him medicine that didn't take care of the problems. Then, he was told he had rheumatoid arthritis. It took more than a year of doctor visits and testing to find out the real issue. Walter received the devastating news one day before Levi was set to leave for Alabama, learning he had an aggressive form of ALS.

"That just changed the dynamics of everything," Wendy said. "I know how upset and concerned Levi was because we didn't know what that was going to mean at that time, but his dad just told him, 'Focus. We're OK.'"

The disease progressed quickly, though.

One of the next times Levi saw his dad was during a break from school in February 2014. Wendy remembers Levi noticing immediately how thin his father looked. "Dad, you've lost so much weight," he said, noticeably upset.

Walter died two months later, the night before the Tide's spring game.

He was in his hospice bed and covered by his Alabama blanket.

Earlier that day, Walter's hospice nurse told Levi's parents, "He doesn't have much longer." Knowing the spring game was the next day, Walter made Wendy make a promise. "I know how hard Levi has been working out there," he told her. "If I should pass, do not tell Levi until after the game because this is his opportunity and I want him to play in the game."

After Walter passed away that night, Wendy told certain family members. Honoring Walter's request, though, she told them, "Please do not tell Levi. His dad made me promise not to tell him because he wanted him to have a chance to play in the spring game."

However, someone posted about Walter passing away on social media, which Levi saw early that next morning. He immediately called his mom and broke down when she confirmed his dad had died.

"He just screamed, and I heard him literally fall to the floor," Wendy said. "It was the worst sound I've ever heard, the worst. And there was nothing I could do about it because he was there and I was in Arizona."

An emotional Levi decided later that day to still play in the spring game. His mother, other family and close friends were gathered around a TV in Arizona watching.

Upon seeing Levi in the game, Wendy thought of Walter.

"That was his dad's vision," she said. "And I just remember saying, 'Hey, Walt, he did it. He did it.'"

***

People internally at Alabama have always considered Wallace to be much better than the typical walk-on, even back when he first arrived in 2013.

Star defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick has called the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Wallace "one of the best technicians on the Alabama defense."

After not playing at all during his first three years with the Tide, Wallace earned a scholarship last August and played in 11 games last season.

When star cornerback Marlon Humphrey aggravated a leg injury during the Iron Bowl, Wallace stepped in and helped Alabama beat Auburn, 30-12. Wallace was then the Tide's sixth defensive back for the SEC championship game during Alabama's 54-16 victory over Florida.

This past spring, Wallace was one of the standouts during the team's second scrimmage. Working with the second-team defense, Wallace posted several pass breakups and fared well even when matched up against Alabama's top two wide receivers, Calvin Ridley and Robert Foster.

One week later, Wallace capped his spring with two pass breakups and an interception in the Tide's spring game.

"He's a great kid, and he's done everything that's needed to get where he's at," said Justin Argraves, Wallace's high school coach. "Nothing's come easy for him, and he's definitely had to fight for where he's at. Unfortunately, with the passing of his father, he hasn't been able to see Levi's success the last two years, but I know Levi does everything because of his dad, and I know that's one of the things that Levi strives for is to do well by him."

In addition to football, Wallace is also a business major set to graduate in August from the school his father loved so much.

Wallace's mother sent him a card recently.

"Your dad," she wrote, "would be truly proud of the men that you and your brother are becoming."