Christian and NFL Star Rashad Jennings Wins Dancing With The Stars
Rashad Jennings, a devout Christian and NFL football player, won the Dancing with the Stars competition Tuesday night on ABC.
On the final dance night Jennings competed against veteran pro baseball player David Ross and singer Normani Kordei, but he and partner Emma Slater stole the contest-winning trophy.
Slater tweeted out on Thursday that she is feeling blessed for their support.
Running on good vibes & the beautiful love people have shown @RashadJennings & I on social media. Thank you so much, I'm feeling so blessed
— Emma Slater (@EmmaSlaterDance) May 25, 2017
Jennings also gave a shout out to his alma mater, Liberty University, thanking them for their support on Facebook. The president, Jerry Falwell, and his wife, were watching the final show with a large crowd in a building at the university.
The show features stars and professional dancers that compete to win in order to support the cause they want to help.
In Rashad's case, he wasn't making the trophy a priority, but instead he wanted to pour his energy into his own non-profit foundation, called the Rashad Jennings foundation.
"I have a foundation that I do so much with kids. I work with so many amazing people and I definitely will do some stuff with the foundation," Jennings told PEOPLE.
As a teen Jennings was bullied and made fun of a lot, and now he says he understands the significance of setting a positive example for the next generation. He says he wants to be a voice for the causes he believes in and make a difference.
Not only did Rashad deal with bullying, but also trouble at home.
His father, Albert, had an alcohol problem, and later suffered from a stroke and diabetes that cost him his legs.
But Jennings was right by his father's side the entire time.
"We love together, pray together, make mistakes together. There's something about having family and keeping God in it that kind of unites us," he said.
His dad as well as his mom surprised him on ABC's Good Morning America after his big win, telling them how proud they were.
"We are so proud of you!" @RashadJennings gets a shout out from two of his biggest fans ❤️ #DancingOnGMA #DWTS pic.twitter.com/NtZgzyAfRm
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 24, 2017
He told Fox News after the competition that his faith ultimately changed his life.
Viewers can still watch Jennings on the upcoming Dancing with the Stars: Live! - Hot Summer Nights tour.
You can read more about Rashad here:
Dancing Stars Simone Biles and Rashad Jennings Shine, So Does Their Faith
Giants Running Back Making a Name for Himself in New York
