Fletcher Page

Courier Journal

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Eight-year-old Antonio McKinney wanted to eat at Red Lobster.

That was fine with Courtney Love, a senior linebacker at the University of Kentucky, but positive reports had to come in first. Antonio's mom, Autumn Floyd, and his teachers let Love know the third-grader had a good week.

"So we went to Red Lobster," Love said.

Since May, Love has spent a Sunday or Thursday with Antonio each week, an arrangement established by Amachi Central Kentucky, a mentoring program that pairs adults with children who have one or both parents in state or federal prison or are affected by incarceration.

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Those are typically the only days Love, tied for the team lead with 43 tackles this season for the Wildcats, has where football isn't dominating his time and focus. He chooses to spend them with Antonio.

They go to dog parks and restaurants. They've seen a movie. They hang out at Kentucky's football facility.

"Normal things," Love said. "Kind of hang out, just like a big brother and little brother."

For Antonio, who, according to his mom, doesn't see his dad and occasionally has behavioral issues, time spent with Love has been beneficial, at home and in the classroom.

"If he has problems I'll shoot Courtney a text and say, 'Antonio had a rough day,'" Floyd said. "They'll talk about it when he picks him up."

Love says most of those talks center on respect – for his mom, for his teachers, for himself. Love got Antonio's attention by telling him he's the man of the house and his mom and sister needed him to be responsible.

"He's like a sponge," Love said. "He asks me different questions about a lot of things. I make sure I tell him the right answers, and if I can't I'll ask my dad, 'what should I tell him in this situation?'"

Love has his father, Cory Love, to lean on, but he understands what it's like to not have that presence. Cory was incarcerated for roughly two years, when Courtney was 10 to 12, and his mom "was not in my life," he said. Love's grandmother and dad's girlfriend took care of him, but Love often wanted and needed his father.

"In certain ways, kids might be maturing faster because they have their dad," Love said.

Memories of those times and those feelings led Love to his role as a mentor. It's important for adult males to volunteer because there's not many that do, Floyd said.

She had no trouble finding a female mentor match for her daughter, Auriana Campbell, but it took years and multiple programs to find Love for Antonio.

Floyd had never heard of Love, but Antonio's eyes lit up when he heard a Kentucky Wildcats football player was a potential mentor. That led to an initial meeting, where Floyd said she wanted to cry when Love told her his story about his mom and dad. She snaps her fingers to explain how quickly Antonio and Love connected.

"Antonio just adores him," Floyd said. "He tells everybody at school, 'you know my mentor is Courtney Love, No. 51, right?' Antonio thinks he's a star now."

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For his effort and intention, Love was named to the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Already a UK grad with a degree in community and leadership development, Love has visited children at hospitals, served as a Skype mentor for high school students and helped with the Special Olympics.

In May, he traveled to Ethiopia, where he built houses and shoe-shining boxes, delivered food to families and visited with widows and orphans.

"He's a mature young man," Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. "Just have to respect him and the way he goes about his business, the way he lives his life, and we're truly blessed to have him in our program."

Antonio cheered for Love in the Kroger Field stands with his family when Kentucky beat Eastern Michigan in September. And last week, when Allstate surprised Love with his award on the basketball court at Woodhill Park, Antonio was there in his blue T-shirt with No. 51 and Love's name on the back.

Love has been there for Antonio, so it was important to Antonio, Auriana and Floyd that they were there for him.

With television cameras and reporters huddled around, Love answered questions with his arm around Antonio.

Then a reporter asked Antonio what he thought about Love.

"He's awesome."