By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

At the age of 6, Taitusi “Deuce” Lutui had to grow up. In a few horrifying moments, Lutui’s life changed dramatically.

Growing up on the island of Tonga, Lutui and his family moved to Arizona when he was about six months old.  The family often went on afternoon drives after arriving in the United States. It was a great way for the family to do something together and little Deuce loved the chance to see his new surroundings.

Until a fateful day when an afternoon drive turned into a life-altering experience. The family’s van was involved in an accident, flipping over multiple times before coming to a rest.

Lutui escaped with minor injuries, a cut here and a scrape there. But his family wasn’t so lucky. His 4-year old sister Diana died in the accident and his mother and father suffered irreparable injuries.

Instantly, Lutui lost the person he called his “best friend” and was forced to assume a leadership role in the family.

“My father, brothers, everybody was affected by the accident,” Lutui said. “Fortunately for me I wasn’t hurt physically. We had to regroup and rebuild as a family. I was just trying to get everybody’s awareness back. My father and brother had a little bit of – waking up from a coma – they had to learn everyday skills again.”

While in the hospital, his mother made it clear to him that he was going to have to grow up fast. His older brother Sam took many of the responsibilities once assumed by his parents, but Deuce chipped in too.

Every day tasks that normally wouldn’t fall on someone so young became Deuce’s assignment.

“I was aware,” Lutui said. “I was very young and I had to cope with the tragedy that we went through as a family and learn from it growing up. I had to basically grow up fast. My mom and dad were injured and my brothers and sisters were mainly the parents for awhile.

“It’s part of the growing up process. I did help with paying the bills. I didn’t have full responsibilities with the bills, but I did have my part in helping mom and dad pay for that and just doing stuff to help out mom and dad.”

As Deuce got older, his jobs grew. When Sam went to college to play football, Deuce became the man of the house. Following in the footsteps of his brother, Deuce had become quite a football player in his own right by that time.

While Lutui was one of the youngest members of his family, he was far from the smallest. He had grown into a dominant offensive lineman at Mesa High in Arizona. Lutui received plenty of recruiting attention by the time he was a senior.

It didn’t take long for Lutui to realize that his way to support his family and make his parents proud would be through football. It didn’t hurt that he was able to use his maturity and pain to his advantage on the football field.

Lutui accepted a scholarship to Utah in 2002, but was unable to qualify academically. That altered Lutui’s plan.

Instead of becoming a Ute, Lutui stayed home and went to Mesa Community College. From there, Lutui transferred to Snow (Utah) Community College where developed into one of the most dominant junior college linemen in the country.

This time around, Lutui got offers from the cream of the college football crop. He chose USC. What once was a disappointment became a blessing in disguise.

“I never thought I’d be in the place I am,” Lutui said. “I was very fortunate coming from Mesa Community College and starting there and ending up at a big time school like USC. It’s been a blessing for me to accomplish what I did.

“I came in and chose to go to a junior college. I was disappointed, but I can’t complain now that I have been to a couple of championship games.”

Lutui did much more than go to a couple of championship games. Upon his arrival in Los Angeles, Lutui started at right tackle for the Trojans in 2004. After Winston Justice returned to the team last year, Lutui shifted to left guard.

In addition to the championship game visits, Lutui blocked for Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Bush calls Lutui one of the most dominant blockers he has run behind.

At 6’3, 334 pounds, Lutui has already improved in one important area. There was a time not long ago when he weighed in at nearly 400 pounds. But if there is one thing Lutui learned from his traumatic childhood experience, it’s that hard work is the only way to get what you want.

So, Lutui dropped most of the weight that had slowed him down. Now, he is widely considered one of the top guard prospects in the draft and a potential late first-round pick.

“It’s very big,” Lutui said. “It’s been a lifelong goal for me to pursue this career and it’s a career I dearly love and why not get paid to do it? I think it’s an opportunity for my parents to have some happiness off what I am doing.”

With the NFL Draft fast approaching, Lutui is closing in on the opportunity that might have been prematurely squashed all those years ago. Lutui is still somewhat of a raw prospect with the impressive size and strength to one day make a difference in the NFL.

“It’s all on me,” Lutui said. “All I have got is my family. I have a family of my own. I have a wife and son. I can use that motivation for me in everything I do. It drives me to be successful.”

With a family of his own and a burgeoning football career, little Deuce Lutui is officially all grown up.