The four tattoos that adorn Nathan Swafford’s arms and back represent more than simple decoration or teenage angst. All carry their own significance, constant reminders of events that have molded the life of the recent Ooltewah High School graduate.

The initials “JSS” inked across his right bicep are those of his older brother and boyhood hero, Joshua Shane Swafford. Across the back of Nathan’s left arm, the letters “RIP” are also dedicated to Josh, along with the date of his brother’s death.

Seven years ago, 19-year-old Joshua was shot and killed in his car. His body was burned inside the car.

“It was devastating,” Nathan said. “He wasn’t just my big brother; he was my idol. I had just seen him two days before. It was the first funeral I went to, and I kept thinking, ‘This isn’t real.’

“I went from sad to being angry at myself, my parents and even God. I never got to tell my brother goodbye.”

The murder began a downward spiral for the Swafford family. Within a year of the funeral, the boys’ grief-stricken paternal grandfather, the glue that had held the family together, died. Months later, Nathan’s parents divorced.

Staff Photo by Tim Barber-- Ooltewah track star Nathan Swafford has qualified for the state meet.

Nathan soon began taking out his anger on anyone who crossed him. He was arrested when he was 15 after breaking another teen’s jaw in a fight in the parking lot of a local grocery store. Other arrests followed.

“Some of the things I was getting into, I knew if I didn’t change I would either be in jail a lot or in the grave,” Swafford said. “The worst feeling in the world was calling my mom from jail. No parent wants their kid to be a screw-up, and when I heard the hurt in her voice over the phone, it killed me inside.

“There are girls at my school who weren’t allowed to date me because of my reputation, and it bothers me that some people look at me and think I’m just a punk. I’m an outcast.

“There are people waiting for me to mess up again, but that’s not who I am, and that’s why I can’t wait to go away to college for a fresh start.”

When Ooltewah football and track coach Benny Monroe met Nathan, he hoped the anger that threatened to control the teenager’s life could be redirected through sports.

Himself the product of a single-parent home and knowing the drive that comes from not having many of the luxuries other kids know, Monroe has a reputation for giving second chances to troubled teens.

“Those kind of kids will break your heart sometimes, but they’ll also win you over real quick,” Monroe said. “You stay with them a little longer because you see something in them that you don’t in others. I’ve always said anybody can coach the perfect kid.

“Even as a young kid, Nate had a grit about him. He’s had so many bad things happen to him, you want something good to finally go his way.”

The ink work on his arms and the memory of his brother explain why Nathan can do nothing half-heartedly. A tireless athletic worker, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Swafford became a two-year starter and all-region defensive back for the Owls, intercepting 11 passes and forcing five fumbles. He also qualified twice for the state track meet in the grueling 300-meter hurdles.

He and teammate Brian Marshall earned football scholarships to Tusculum College, and Swafford will be a starting safety in tonight’s Tennessee-Georgia all-star football game at Finley Stadium.

“My coaches probably saved me,” Swafford said. “They never gave up on me or pushed me away when a lot of people already had. They cared enough to make sure I was doing what I should and took care of even little things for me. I had some old hand-me-down track cleats that got stolen, and the coaches got me new Nikes. It might not sound like much, but I remember how good it felt to get new track shoes.”

There are still times when his temper and outside influences threaten to wreck the one opportunity he has to better his surroundings. Last fall he was one of five Ooltewah football players who had arrest warrants issued for failing to leave Ridgeland’s campus when they were directed to following a fight. Swafford insists he was not involved in the fight and was merely watching.

“There were times when I was very, very close to not letting him be a part of our football team,” Monroe said. “But I knew sports were the only positive thing he had, and if I got rid of him, that would be the end of him. That affected me more than anything.

“Kids make mistakes, and he’s made his share, but if he can control the company he keeps and the choices he makes — if he can surround himself with positive people — he’ll be successful. I’ve had better, more talented players but Nate is one of my favorite people. There’s something about his personality and his determination that makes you pull for him to make it.”

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