For some 30 minutes, Dedrick Mills freely shared his past, his present and his future.
Throughout the entire conversation, nobody could wipe the wide smile off the face of the Nebraska transfer running back.
"I always smile," Mills said. "I can't let life get me down. This is my second chance, so I appreciate it every day."
To be sure, Mills has persevered through some tough times.
A childhood house fire in which he and his three brothers knocked down a sealed door to escape.
Self-admitted bad decisions that cost him a scholarship at Georgia Tech.