While he stars in a city known for its glitz and glamor, Aaron Donald was born and raised in Pittsburgh, a city that prides itself on having a blue collar work ethic. A foundational piece during the Rams’ half-decade rise up the NFL’s pecking order, Donald recently laid the groundwork for a renovation project back in Pittsburgh a person who played a valuable role in his success.
Together with host Nischelle Turner, Donald recently took part in a home renovation for his father during an appearance on on CBS’ “Secret Celebrity Renovation” that will air on Friday, September 16 at 8 p.m. ET. Donald, Turner and the crew renovated Donald’s childhood home, the home where he learned from his father about the value of hard work.
“I lived off hard work pays off,” Donald said. “My dad told me that as a kid, hard work pays off. When we were lifting, he was always like, ‘Come on, push yourself. Man made it, man can lift it.'”
Donald said that he and his siblings would often watch his father lift weights in the basement, an area they referred to as “the dungeon.”
“Once we were old enough to really work out with him, it was like an accomplishment, like we finally made it to be be able to be in the dungeon,” Donald said. “It’s gloomy, it’s got that dungeon feel to it. That’s why we call it the dungeon.”
Check out the episode to see what renovations Donald and the crew did to the dungeon and the rest of his childhood home. The episode also captures Donald’s father’s priceless reaction to the renovation.
Along with doing something for his father, the renovation also gave Donald the chance to put a spotlight on a city that is still very near and dear to his heart. Before becoming a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Donald was a local college standout at Pitt, where he became the program’s first defensive player to earn unanimous All-American status in 33 years.
“It’s definitely a lot of love, a lot of support in Pittsburgh, even though I’m making my career in the NFL Los Angeles,” Donald said. “Being somebody that really was molded and born in this city, to be able to come back and still have that support is special.”
