VIDEO and SLIDESHOW: Patriots Linebacker Reads to McCarthy Elementary Students

“It is hard to get where ever you want to go in life honestly,” New England Patriots linebacker Darius Fleming told students at McCarthy Elementary School in Framingham on Friday.

Fleming, who won a Super Bowl, with the Patriots, started playing football in high school, but it was not easy to get on the Patriots roster.

Fleming was signed by the Patriots on May 16, 2014. He was released on September 13, 2014. The Patriots signed him to their team’s practice squad on September 16, 2014. And on Nov. 29, 2014 he was put on the active roster for the NFL football team.

Fleming, 25, read the Dr. Seuss book Oh,The Places You Will Go to the students and staff.

Fleming attended Henry R. Clissold Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. and then went to play football for four years at the University of Notre Dame before he was drafted in the fifth round at pick #165.

When he was younger, Fleming said he thought about being a police officer or a firefighter.

He told the hundreds of students that all of his teachers were his favorite teacher, he couldn’t pick just one.

“Every teacher I had was my best teacher because if it wasn’t for them I probably would not be standing here in front of you today,” said Fleming.

He said his favorite book when he was younger was Charlotte’s Web. He said at their age he like to read in his room at home, in a quiet place, so he could be alone and focus on the book.

“You can’t do much in life if you don’t do well in school,” he told the Framingham students.

Fleming also read the New England Patriots book Let’s Go Patriots and enlisted the help of the students with the reading.

After the event, he signed banners, books and footballs for the school’s upcoming parent’s night out raffle and the summer reading program.

Fleming visited McCarthy as part of the The New England Patriots Charitable Foundation.

The Foundation’s primary goal is to support programs that aid the youth and families of New England while underscoring the Kraft family’s deep commitment to philanthropic activities in the community.

The Foundation actively supports non-profit groups focusing on health, education, youth fitness and community enrichment while also implementing its own programs in those areas of focus.

The Foundation’s Celebrate Volunteerism initiative aims to recognize deserving volunteers and inspire Patriots fans to become lifelong volunteers.