Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions offensive tackle Giovanni Manu woke up at 4 a.m. Friday and couldn't fall back asleep. On the rookie's ride to work, he was in tears. Manu's excitement and emotions were triggered by a long and lonely path, leaving his parents on the south Pacific island of Tonga at age 11 to live with his aunt and siblings in Vancouver in the hopes of a better life. A growth spurt in high school, along with support on and off the field, led to Manu becoming a 6-foot-7, 354-pound prospect that Detroit drafted in the fourth round.
