Jermain Defoe has captured the hearts of our nation in recent weeks after forming an incredibly special and touching bond with little Bradley Lowery, the 5-year-old who is bravely fighting against Neuroblastoma - a rare type of cancer that mostly affects young children.
From proudly clasping Bradley's hand as he walked out at Wembley before England's win over Lithuania to visiting the youngster in hospital on a regular basis, Defoe has quickly become a national treasure, but once upon a time, the Sunderland forward was making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Defoe was known by many for his antics off the field, with the 'playboy' image becoming many people's go-to stereotype of the 34-year-old. In the space of a few years, he dated the likes of reality TV star Chantelle Houghton and Imogen Thomas.
His relationship with Danielle Lloyd also placed him in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Allegations that he cheated with single mum Stephanie Moule.were rumoured, but years on from appearing in all of those gossip columns, Defoe has transformed his reputation and image.
So what has Jermain done to deserve such acclaim?
Defoe launched his own charitable foundation to help homeless, vulnerable and abused children in St Lucia, a place the 34-year-old has visited every year since he was a young child. St Lucia is well known as a paradise holiday destination but little is heard of the poverty and abuse suffered by children there.
Jermain and his family have been sending barrels of clothes, food and medical supplies to the Holy Family Children's Home for many years. It is the only children's home on the island, housing around a dozen children, and his aims to raise money to build another home in the south so more children can receive the care and support they so badly need.
Defoe is incredibly passionate about the foundation and believes he is in a very privileged position to help the people of St Lucia in time of need:
"St Lucia is close to my heart and I am in a position to be able to help these children whose lives are affected by poverty, homelessness and abuse. So many children in St Lucia live on the street or are passed between family and friends because their parents can't care for them. They deserve a better start in life." Defoe said.
(Picture Credit: Jermain Defoe Foundation)
Not only does Defoe perform miracles on the pitch, but his ability on it has inspired many older players to dream big. England manager Gareth Southgate recalled Jermain Defoe to the England squad back in March, handing him a chance to make his first international appearance since 2013.
Defoe has been in scintillating form over the course of the season, and his reaction to the call-up is another reason why so many people like the striker. He comes across like a genuinely nice bloke who has time for anyone. Just check out Jermain's quotes after finding out about his prestigious call-up to the national side:
"It was funny, a message popped up on my iPhone. You don't see the full message. It was from a Gareth. I don't know a Gareth! Who's this? "I put my phone down. Then looked at it: 'Hello Jermain it is Gareth Southgate. Can I give you a call when you are free and have a chat. How do you feel about England?
"We had a good chat. A nice guy. Someone I used to play against. I said you used to kick me. So we had a laugh about that. A genuinely nice man and I've always had respect for him."
Looking back at that quote, a certain word screams out to me. 'Respect'. That's what Jermain Defoe is all about. A man who has learned from his mistakes and continues to improve both on and off the pitch. A man who has given hope to many, including his best friend and hero Bradley Lowery.
Not only has Jermain visited Bradley in hospital as he undergoes treatment, but he has claims that the youngster has changed him as a person.
"Going to visit him in hospital, just having alone time. It's difficult trying to keep your composure and not showing your emotions much was quite hard.
"I went to see him in hospital and he said to his mum, 'can you just turn the lights off. He said to me, 'do you want to get in the bed' and I said, 'no problem, Brad'.
"So i got in the bed and he put the covers over and he just wanted a cuddle. It was an amazing feeling."
In an interview with Lorraine today, Defoe beamed about his 'heartwarming friendship' with the youngster, who has been awarded with the honorary 41st place in this Saturday's Grand National this week.
"When I spend time with him it's amazing, just the little things that he comes out with."
Here's the heartwarming clip of Defoe talking about his incredible friendship with Bradley:
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