By Louise Boyle Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player in the NFL, broke down in tears as he received a courage award at the ESPYs, telling the audience: 'Great things can happen when you have the courage to be yourself.' Sam, who was selected by the St Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL draft, received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the annual sports ceremony hosted by ESPN on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The football star, who had earlier walked the red carpet hand-in-hand with his boyfriend Vito Cammisano, told the audience he feels it rests on his shoulders to stand up for those 'who want nothing more than to be themselves openly'.
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Sam, who was selected by the St Louis Rams in 2014 NFL draft, received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at ESPN ceremony in LA on Wednesday
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The football star, who walked red carpet hand-in-hand with boyfriend Vito Cammisano, said: 'Great things can happen when you have the courage to be yourself'
@placeholder also spoke about how he had helped a friend's sister after she contemplated suicide rather than tell her family she was gay.