In his own words, it's been a hell of a week for David Tepper.
Last Tuesday, the hedge fund manager agreed to buy the Carolina Panthers for $2.275 billion, a record for an NFL franchise. On Sunday, the billionaire received an honorary doctorate degree and delivered the commencement address at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
But Tepper wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In a speech that was emotional at times, Tepper shared stories from his past and life lessons that he said helped pave his path to success.
A middle child, Tepper was raised in a working class neighborhood in Pittsburgh and played tackle football in the nearby cemetery as a kid.