BOSTON -- Alfreda Hagans worked 12-hour shifts, four days per week at the Virginia Department of Corrections during the first trimester of her pregnancy with son Jackie Bradley Jr.

She felt some discomfort when she went for a prenatal visit, but she didn't think much about it.

"The doctor immediately told me, she said, 'You're on the verge of losing this baby. We don't know if he's going to make it. We have to take you off your feet immediately,'" Hagans recalled.

Hagans' doctor prescribed about a week of bed rest, which she said prevented her from miscarrying Bradley.

"That's how he survived, by me getting off of my feet and just pretty much relaxing," Hagans said.

She added, "And then I was in labor with him for like 19 hours."

The Boston Red Sox center fielder -- who wears the uniform No. 19 in part because of his mother being in labor with him for 19 hours -- has experienced some challenging points during his major league career. He's experiencing one right now, as the perennial Gold Glove candidate has struggled offensively so far during the 2018 season, batting .188.

However, he and his mother have overcome obstacles together since trimester No. 1.

Bradley has learned lessons of perseverance and hard work from his mom who hardly ever comes off her feet to rest. She actually just began a new job this week in marketing.

The former Virginia state trooper and licensed Evangelist has worked numerous jobs to raise her two children. She overcame a tumor in her pituitary gland before becoming pregnant with her second child, Dominique Bradley.

These days, Hagans takes time to email and text Bradley encouraging quotes and scripture verses. If someone sends her an interesting quote in the email, she'll forward it to him.

"We always talk about that, to keep your head lifted up regardless of a slight slump or whatever," Hagans said. "I've always tried to help them (Jackie and Dominique) inspirationally stay mentally strong no matter what they're going through in life."

Bradley is a little bit more laidback and reserved than his mom. Hagans admits she's more outspoken.

"I never really get down," Bradley said. "I think that's just been my personality, who I am. I've always been very confident in who I am, what I'm capable of.

"I get frustrated with her sometimes just because I'm not trying to hear it. I just want to continue working, doing it. I know all bad things and good things, they come in waves. But you should never be one to turn down encouragement."

Hagans went straight from work at the Department of Corrections to the hospital to deliver Bradley.

"They took me in the police car," she said, laughing. "I was like, 'Don't turn the lights on. Don't turn the siren on.'"

The pregnancy not only was 19 hours but Bradley also was born on the 19th (April 19, 1990).

"That 19, that number is significant for a lot of reasons," Hagans said.

She experienced no complications during the lengthy labor. But Hagans -- who became a Deputy Sheriff in Henrico County on July 2, 1990 -- did experience quite the scare approximately nine months later when she began having some vision problems and other issues. An MRI revealed a benign tumor in her pituitary gland.

Surgeons removed it by going through her mouth and cutting across the top of her gums.

Jackie Bradley Jr. and his mother Alfreda Hagans. (courtesy photo)

"They went through the top of my mouth behind my nose to get to between my eyes to that area of the pituitary gland," she said. "It really was a delicate procedure because a lot of things could have happened. But I'm thankful to God that it didn't."

Hagans felt fortunate to get pregnant a second time after her medical issues. She gave birth to Dominique in 1992.

"I was literally shocked," she said. "I just couldn't believe it because I had this tumor. I couldn't believe I was able to get pregnant again. But I did."

Bradley grew up watching his mother work long hours. But Hagans also made sure to be home to take care of him and Dominique, who now works as a barber in Virginia.

Hagans began training at the academy to become a Virginia state trooper Nov. 1, 1993. After six months there, she was assigned to her area.

She worked as a state trooper for several years. But she gave up her career in law enforcement because she worked different shifts every week. She wanted a more consistent work schedule to be home each night with Jackie Jr. and Dominique.

Hagans and Jackie Sr. divorced in 1997 when Jackie Jr. was about to turn 7. Dominique recently had turned 5.

Jackie Sr. and Jackie Jr. always have remained close. Jackie Sr. is frequently around the ballpark.

But Hagans, her two sons and her mother Martha Hagans moved in December 1999 from Henrico County, on the outskirts of Richmond, Va., to Prince George County.

Hagans and her mother started a Southern food restaurant and catering service. Her mom had moved from North Carolina to Virginia in 1992 to help take care of Jackie Jr. and Dominique well before the divorce.

Martha Hagans, Jackie Bradley Jr.'s grandmother, wears a South Carolina letter jacket. Bradley starred at South Carolina. (courtesy photo)

Hagans also worked in property management for 16 years.

"Just grinding it out, doing what I needed to do so that they could have a home that they knew that they were loved, they felt the love," Hagans said. "Just being there for them and knowing whatever aspirations that they had in life, just to be there to support it."

Bradley added, "She made sure we did the right things as kids. We grew up working hard. Hard-working family. She made sure we just stayed the course."

Hagans always has taught her two sons never to let their present situation dictate their future goals and successes.

"Never let that dictate your destiny," she said. "And telling them to always keep their head lifted up no matter what's going on in life. Because life is full of challenges and adversity. But that does not define you as a human being or a person."

Bradley has never let his on-field performance define him.

"I'm able to separate the game from my family life and home life just because at the end of the day, it's just a game for me. I enjoy playing it but it's not the end-all, be-all for me," he told MassLive.com in 2015.

"Just being a great man and living for God," Bradley added about his end-all, be-all. "That's where I keep my faith. Baseball is not going to make or break me."

Mother and son sound remarkably similar in their previous two quotes.

Bradley has struggled so far but manager Alex Cora wants the left-handed hitter to continue to remain in the lineup vs. left-handed starters. Cora thinks that is the way for Bradley to get on track offensively. Bradley has proved to be one of the major's top batters when he hits one of his hot streaks.

"Jackie needs the lefties to get his swing back," Cora said. "As a left-handed hitter, I was a platoon guy for part of my career. Sometimes it became very hard for me to hit righties without seeing a lefty. Because with a lefty, you see the ball, you have to stay back. You have to stay inside the ball to shoot the ball to left field. And if you don't see those very often, it gets tough because now you see the righty and everything you do is try to pull the ball. You don't stay on the ball.

"During his career, he's been successful against lefties," Cora added. "It's kind of like even splits. So I do believe he needs his lefties."

Bradley enjoys life with his wife Erin and daughter Emerson no matter if he's slumping at the plate or hitting .300. His mom's influence is at work.

"Jackie's always talked about being a family man, even before he got married," Hagans said. "He pretty much already mapped out in his mind what he wanted life to be."