Malaki Starks Refused to Let Tough Times Derail His Destiny

Ravens rookie safety Malaki Starks refused to let tragic loss and being homeless during his youth get in the way of his NFL dreams.

By Clifton Brown

The Ravens are depending on first-round pick Malaki Starks, but he's used to people counting on him.

Starks' 9-year-old nephew, Isaiah, is autistic. When they are back home in Jefferson, Ga., they are inseparable. Starks connects with Isaiah in a way that nobody else does. That's one of Starks' many gifts. His personality draws people to him.

"We learned that Isaiah was autistic when he was like 3 ½," Malaki's sister Mariah said. "Malaki is really close with him. Even when he barely listens to me, he'll listen to Malaki. He can get him to do things that I can't.

"Malaki's an old

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