'Underdog': Montgomery native overcomes adversity, joins Mexican Football League

Justin Lewis, a student at Alabama State University, was killed in a shooting at Patterson Court Apartments in 2019.

Lewis met Jeremy Hodge, an ASU employee, and sought out him, fearful that he would be next. “He didn’t want to be a victim too,” said Hodge of Lewis.

Lewis, aged 24, is a running back for the Caudillos of the Mexican Football League, where he recently won his second championship.

“I’m just an underdog. I’m just a kid trying to make something of myself,” Lewis said.

Lewis stated that he was only trying to survive at ASU.

“I had to grow up early. I had to grow up fast,” Lewis said.

Eventually, Lewis met Hodge, who mentored Lewis and even let Lewis live in his house “when I didn’t really have no place to go,” Lewis said.

Lewis is like a son to Hodge.

“I don’t have any biological children, but he became that for me, and it made me grow in the process as well,” Hodge said. “Seeing him you know grow, and his dreams manifest, and seeing people celebrate him. Put his name on shirts. His picture on shirts. See him celebrated after knowing what all he’s been through makes me a proud dad biological or not.”

Lewis dropped out of school when COVID arrived, residing in Tuskegee and then Houston. It was there that he was introduced to the Mexican Football League.

“I packed my bags, and I hit the planes,” Lewis said.

Lewis’ lifelong friend Lamario Wilson believes Lewis is capable of accomplishing everything he sets his mind to.

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“He can go as far as he wanted to go,” Wilson said.

Lewis is a committed buddy and a good worker, according to Wilson.

Lewis welcomed his first son into the world on July 5. Lewis stated that he is “trying to get him a better life.”

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