Manti Te’o helps Chargers teammate DJ Fluker learn to swim

Say what you want about San Diego Chargers rookie Manti Te’o — and there will certainly be a lot said about the young man this year — but this story is pretty heartwarming.

It goes like this: Chargers right tackle DJ Fluker had a traumatizing experience of almost drowning as a 4-year-old and ever since has displayed a profound fear of swimming. When teammate Te’o learned of this fear at the NFL Rookie Symposium, the linebacker decided to help his buddy overcome his aversion to water.

According to a story written for UT San Diego, Te’o held the 340-pound Fluker in the water at the shallow end of the pool as Fluker simultaneously practiced kicking and maintaining buoyancy. Like a dad assisting his kid, Te’o then let Fluker go…and Fluker sank (according to Te’o, Fluker’s “head was still above water. He just wasn’t as flat as he should have been”). After a few more tries, however, Fluker was able to successfully swim unassisted.

Te’o and Fluker will team-up together on land to take on the Seattle Seahawks on August 8th.

[Source: UT San Diego]