On a day Americans will never forget, Dre'Kalo Clayton lost everything.

It was Aug. 29, 2005 when the devastating tragedy known as Hurricane Katrina hit the state of Louisiana. The impact was called the single most catastrophic disaster in U.S. history, with 70 percent of homes in the New Orleans area suffering.

One belonged to the Clayton family, and although no one was thankfully harmed during the events, all was lost. He was 11-years-old at the time – a very difficult time for the kid's life to see the home he was raised in turn to rubble. But after the emotional phase, Clayton turned his attention to starting a new life in a new location, moving to Orlando for a fresh start.

"It was very rough in the beginning due to the fact we lost everything," Clayton said. "You basically have to start over. I had to start a whole new lifestyle in a new city where I didn't know anyone. As time progressed, I liked Florida and everything it had to offer, much more than New Orleans because it's a very rough spot."

Dre'Kalo (or Dre as he prefers to be called) was born into a large family, the youngest of 11 boys. He also has 12 sisters total in a family tree with many branches. "I have a big family," Clayton said, smiling. Sports were a huge deal in the household, but what made him discover basketball was actually a kindergarten gym class.

As a child, Clayton played football, tennis and other sports, but a teacher handed him a basketball one day and told him to give it a try. After growing interest in the game, he met a guy named Reggie Oliver who became a father figure and coach to him – teaching Clayton the skillsets and tangibles he now displays.

Back home, a small house became awfully crowded, leading Dre's mother Lisa sending the boys outside to play to avoid further broken glass.

"Everything was rough growing up and you have to get into every sport," he said. "We broke everything in the house. My mom would always get mad and tell us to take it outside, so we'd go out and play football. If we couldn't play football, we'd play basketball."

Clayton attended high school at Orlando Christian, and during one of his games, he feared he had lost something else – the ability to play basketball.

While bringing the ball up the court, Clayton felt a pop. He looked back at the referee and asked if he had stepped on his foot, but the answer was no. Instead, he tore his Achilles, an injury which forced him to be out of action for over a year.

At that point, Clayton seriously wondered if his career was over, despite the potential of him becoming a perennial Division I player.

"When it happened, I thought I'd be out two or three months, not knowing it was an Achilles tear," Clayton said. "I then found out I would be out over a year, and I realized this might be it for me. I was in bed for like six months. I couldn't walk and barely went to school because of it."

Even while on the shelf, he continued to receive offers knowing the talent he possess – a 6-6 forward who can hold his own down low while also owning a smooth jumper to stretch the defense. Clayton ultimately signed with USF, redshirting as a freshman before seeing limited minutes the following year

Clayton needed a change, somewhere where he could start and piece his game back together. Northwest Mississippi was the destination, a place recommended by people around him, coached by Bubba Skelton.

"I figured I'd test it out to get a year under my belt to get back out there," he said. "When I went to Northwest, I felt at home and didn't have any worries."

While suiting up for the Rangers, Clayton averaged 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, along with a .385 three-point percentage. This caught the eye of Austin Peay head coach Dave Loos, who Clayton said didn't know anything about him until he watched him play. The APSU staff continued to keep in touch with him, before he eventually signed to become a Gov on May 10.

Clayton has been a member of winning teams everywhere he has gone, so being a member of the reigning OVC champions has him motivated to continue the winning tradition at Austin Peay.

"I come in every day, play my hardest and Coach Loos just tells me to have fun out there," Clayton said. "He sees that I'm so uptight because I want to do everything correctly.

"It's very slow-paced (in Clarksville), which is what I like. I like the scenery and everything has been good so far."

When a tragic event occurs, it gives you a greater appreciation for the life you live. We've all had those moments, but nothing like Clayton has gone through. He plays for more than a scholarship – for a new opportunity to simply play basketball like every game is his last.

"I don't take life for granted, because I know on any given day it can be gone," he said. "That's why when I'm playing basketball, you'll always see me very passionate about what I love, because it can be taken away from me any day."