AMES, Ia. — Latrell Bankston thinks about the final moments of his mother, Marcia’s, life every day. The words he spoke to her are the most important of his life.

Bankston, then 15, was sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed, holding her left hand. On the other side of the bed was his twin brother, Jarrell, who was holding her other hand. Just two minutes before she passed away, Latrell made an important promise to her.

“I said, ‘I’m going to make all the promises I made, I’m going to fulfill them — I’m going to be one of the best in the world,’” Bankston said. “I told her that. ‘I’m going to be one of the best in the world. I promise you.’”

He's tried his best to fulfill that death-bed promise.

It pushed him to become a high school football star.

It motivated him to become one of the best junior college players in the nation.

The next step is to dominate at Iowa State starting this coming fall.

After Ames? The NFL.

"A guy that has just persevered through it," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell of the December defensive lineman recruit who arrived in Ames this week. "A guy that has a strong purpose of what he does."

'We were best friends'

For years, Marcia Bankston ran a Georgia "Fashion Fetish" boutique shop. Every weekend, Latrell would be there, working with his mom. He was a cashier, would stock shoes and help with anything she needed. Latrell would often grab her doughnuts and a drink from a local convenience store. When they were home, the two would even watch Lifetime movies together.

“We were best friends,” Latrell said.

They even bonded over sports, including football. Latrell and his dad, Tim Bankston, would routinely walk down the street to a local park to play football. Marcia would usually drive down there and meet them to help run drills.

Marcia started following the sport more when she watched Latrell play. She even started going to practices and games and helped coach him in the front yard.

“She was really into it,” Tim said. “She actually learned the game from watching him play.”

Early on, Latrell set his sights on doing big things in football.

He even dreamed of playing in the NFL and shared those thoughts with his mom. When he was 6, Latrell promised Marcia that when he made it to the NFL, he'd buy her a special gift. Marcia's favorite color was pink and her favorite kind of car was a Cadillac He thought a pink Cadillac would be the perfect gift for her someday.

"He has been highly motivated by his mom and what he told her he wanted to accomplish has kind of been pushing him along," his Woodstock High School coach, Brent Budde, said.

Latrell never got the chance to, though.

Just 18 days after Latrell’s little brother Marcellus was born, Marcia died. She was just 45.

Marcia, who was at high risk during pregnancy, suffered from preeclampsia. The condition includes high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system. Following the birth, her blood pressure kept spiking before she died Nov. 22, 2014. Latrell believes she heard his promises before she died.

"She squeezed my hand," he said.

'Highly motivated by his mom'

After his mother's death, Latrell's grades slipped so much in high school that after committing to play football at Kennesaw State, he failed to quality academically.

"It's like it took life out of him, you know what I mean," Tim said. "It was hard on him and everyone because he was so close with his mom."

Latrell eventually got back on track in the classroom. On the football field, he was motivated to become the football star he promised his mom he would be. Latrell, who became a two-time all-state selection, posted 117 tackles and 28 tackles for loss as a senior. He was so good that that Budde said they'd have to take Latrell out of practice at times just so the offense could work on things.

"He's just so hard to block up-front," Budde said.

However, few schools noticed.

Latrell did not receive any Division I offers. Instead, he landed at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. There, he continued to be motivated by his promise.

"When I went to juco, it was tough," Latrell said. "But every time I go and do something tough, I think about her and she went through things tougher than me. If she can go through all that, that I can go through anything."

It was the only motivation Latrell needed.

During his sophomore season, he became a junior college star, racking up 63 tackles (22 for loss) and 11.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and tallied eight quarterback hurries.

Now, there was attention.

Latrell became a first-team NJCAA All-American and was named the 2019 Jayhawk Conference's defensive player of the year. The success made him one of the best junior college players in the nation and a top target of Iowa State's.

Latrell, who had drawn interest from schools such as Boise State, Oregon State, Arizona and Houston, committed to Iowa State this past November. He signed his letter of intent a month later.

"Really excited about Latrell," Campbell said. "He will do a phenomenal job for our football program."

That's the goal.

But Latrell has even higher hopes for himself. He still has his sights set on starring in the NFL someday, just like he told his mom.

Latrell also plans to buy that pink Cadillac someday, too. He said he'll found someone special to give it to.

Before every game, Latrell writes "LLM" — Long Live Marcia/Mama — along with a heart on his shoes and on his wrist tape.

"I just wanted her to be proud of her baby boy," Latrell said. "I want to honor her the best way I can which is through the game of football because she loved football. I just want to make her proud. When I make a promise to somebody ... I keep it."