When your son is shining on the biggest stage, you don't miss a moment.
The parents of Washington Commanders rookie cornerback Mike Sainristil, from Everett, Massachusetts, are soaking up every moment — and who can blame them?
"Mikey is Mikey, he is present wherever he is, and whatever he is doing, he is doing it with his heart," said his mom, Raymonde Fedna Sainristil.
Inside their Boston-area home, Sainristil's parents beam, memories and mementos of a life they say they never could have imagined when they left Haiti when Mike was just 7 months old.
"We would imagine a 7-month-old baby, you left your country to come to another country, what life is going to look like, to be here today, nobody would imagine that," Mike's mom said. "It is incredible — it is not unexpected, but it is incredible."
Mike Sainristil's father agrees.
"We always rely on God, we can't do anything ourselves, so we are happy," Carlot Sainristil said Friday. "I am proud of him, we are proud of him, family and friends are proud of him."
There is a lot to be proud of when it comes to what Sainristil has accomplished.
From becoming a star at Everett High School on a team that won it all, to being National Champions while playing for the University of Michigan last year. Sainristil was drafted by the Washington Commanders, and now the rookie cornerback doing it at the highest level. He was just named NFL Rookie of the Week.
"Just being a part of this, very special, this season has been very special, and we have another opportunity to prove who we are this weekend," he said in the Commanders' locker room.
Now, Sainristil is getting ready for his first NFL playoff game this weekend. Washington is playing in Tampa Bay on Sunday Night Football on NBC10 Boston.
"He will be one of the leaders here for a really long time, he has an instant connection with teammates because they trust him," said Commanders Head Coach Dan Campbell.
It is not just Sainristil — Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, who also played for Everett High School, is also set to play in the playoffs this weekend.
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"Two role models, upstanding young men who lead on and off the field," said Everett High School's Josh Del Gaizo. "We all know about their skill set on the field, but what they do off the field really goes beyond words."
Back in Everett, their coaches couldn't be prouder.
"I am very humbled by their success, I feel very blessed to witness it, and this city is very proud of them," said Claudy St. Juste. "They exemplify in order to be great, you must be good first, so they always put in the work, they always stayed humble and they stayed very faithful."
Everett Coach Greg Bluestein says this success couldn't have happened to a better duo. Sainristil and Likely come back every summer for a football camp.
"It is constant pride for them, they are just great kids that couldn't deserve these opportunities more," Bluestein said.
It is not just former coaches.
Current Boston College wide receiver and former Everett High School player Ismael Zamora says both are an inspiration to him.
"It means a lot, I looked up to Mikey and Isaiah growing up when I was playing Everett Pop Warner, I wanted to win a state championship just like those guys," he said. "I wanted to win a state championship just like those guys, go to college just like those guys, so it means a lot to see them be successful."
Both NFL players are doing it on the biggest stage, but not forgetting where they came from.
"These guys came from very similar upbringings that all of our students are going through right now, so to be able to see the hard work and dedication to a craft can do for you, shows everybody that it can be done," said Chris Miller, their former football coach.
