DeAndre Hopkins’ journey to NFL stardom is inspiring, but behind that story lies a deeply personal and painful chapter involving his mother, Sabrina Greenlee.
In a new ESPN docuseries called The Kingdom, Sabrina bravely opens up about a terrifying acid attack she survived back in 2002 — an event that left her blind and forever changed their family’s life.
The Day Everything Changed
Sabrina’s story begins with what seemed like a routine problem: her car was missing.
After getting a tip from her boyfriend, she went to retrieve it, but what followed was anything but ordinary.
A heated argument broke out, and suddenly, another woman appeared and threw a harsh chemical mixture all over Sabrina’s face, neck, and back.
She described it as a “concoction,” later revealed to be a blend of bleach and lye, which caused severe burns.
“I remember the skin instantly falling off my body,” Sabrina recalls in the series.
“At that moment, I truly thought I was going to die.”
A Long Road to Recovery
Following the attack, Sabrina slipped into a coma for about a month.
When she woke up, she faced a new challenge: relearning how to walk and live with her injuries and blindness.
Meanwhile, her son DeAndre — only 10 years old at the time — vividly remembers seeing his mother for the first time after the attack.
Her face was completely bandaged, but her eyes told a different story.
“I just remember how different her eyes looked,” Hopkins shares emotionally in the documentary.
Holding the Family Together
Despite the trauma, Sabrina and her children clung to each other, often crying together, wondering why anyone would do such a thing.
“We just didn’t understand why somebody would want to hurt us like that,” Sabrina said.
Her attacker, Savannah Carlita Grant, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for assault with intent to kill, while the boyfriend who was involved faced no charges.
In the wake of the tragedy, young DeAndre stepped up.
Sabrina describes how he “became the man of the house” — reading to her, narrating TV shows, and refusing to give up.
“If he’s not giving up, how dare I?” she reflected. She told her kids firmly, “This doesn’t define us.”
From Pain to Pro Bowl Success
DeAndre Hopkins’ resilience paid off in a remarkable football career.
He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl five times and earned three All-Pro honors.
He ranks second in receiving yards in Texans history and last season got to chase a Super Bowl title with the Kansas City Chiefs after their dramatic win over the Bills.
That Super Bowl run was an emotional moment for Sabrina. “This is so big,” she said after the AFC Championship win.
“Playing in the Super Bowl means all the time, work, and sacrifices paid off.
I watched you for two years, then couldn’t see you anymore, but you never stopped.”
Though the Chiefs fell short in the Super Bowl against the Eagles, and Hopkins has since moved on to the Ravens, the bond between mother and son remains incredibly strong.
Overcoming Scarcity and Finding Joy Together
After the attack, Sabrina was hesitant to attend games or be seen in public due to her scars.
But DeAndre encouraged her to come out and cheer him on, especially during his high school days.
“I visualize everything he does — the dreads, the way he moves,” Sabrina shared in an earlier ESPN interview.
Hopkins echoes this closeness, saying, “I’m always picturing her reaction when I make a catch.
And when I drop a ball, I think, ‘Darn it, I let my mama down.’”
Their story is one of tragedy, resilience, and love — a reminder that even through the darkest times, family can be a powerful source of strength.
