We're all from somewhere. Our home, our heritage, it shapes us, for better or for worse, and no matter where life takes us, that tether holds; sometimes faint, sometimes like a siren, but always present.

The NFL invites players to celebrate that heritage with flags on the back of their helmets, representing countries where they were born, if other than America, or have ancestors tracing back two generations. They are a reminder that players come from all around the world, with threads of stories that circle the globe. And as the NFL continues to grow its brand in new countries, sharing the sport with the world, it's crucial to remember that with each new country ventured, the world is also sharing itself with us. It's vital we listen.

The Carolina Panthers boast 11 players who display their history with the Heritage Helmet stickers. These are their stories.

When Claudin Cherelus walks through the door of his family home in South Florida, he knows he'll always find one thing: his mom in the kitchen, cooking a lot of food. And chances are, a lot of people.

"My mom's big on cooking," he laughs, imagining her in front of the big pots that stay on the stove, preparing to feed anyone who might happen to come by.

"That's another part of the Haitian culture. They cook for like 10 in a household of one or two…just in case someone comes over, we got enough.

"You just take care of the people around you."

It's a philosophy that drives Cherelus in everything he does, holding dear a part of the culture that is woven into who he is. His entire family, including both parents, was born and raised in Haiti. He's never been able to visit the country, but with so much of his family there, including his father, and the culture being the foundation of how he was raised, it's a place he considers home.

"That's how I feel; I feel like I'm 100% Haitian even though I haven't been there yet," asserts Cherelus.

Cherelus' parents immigrated to South Florida before he was born, raising him and his older brother there. His dad went back to Haiti when he was still young, eight years old, and certain nuances mean he hasn't been able to see him in the 18 years since. But the two make sure to stay connected, ensuring neither a body of water nor immigration red-tape keeps them apart.

"It's a work in progress; we've been working with immigration and everything to try to get his papers right and everything, but it's something we've lived with for a while, and we keep in contact; he calls and texts still on WhatsApp," Cherelus explains.

"Before I even get out of here (on game days), he's sending me an interview or like a picture of the game, but yeah, he keeps up."

His mom still travels back a couple of times a year, doing her part to serve the community that once served her, and of course, cooking as much food as possible.

"She'll go, just help feed the homeless in the streets, and she'll send pictures, and they don't have much over there, and I'm looking at them like d—n, we're blessed to be here," preaches Cherelus, a plea in his voice for others to listen.

"A lot of my dad's side is here, but the majority of my mom's side is over there, so just seeing my family, experiencing the day-to-day culture, because I mean, sometimes I sit and think, like, d—n we got it good."

That constant reminder, that appreciation for both what he has now and what it took to create such a life, married with a responsibility and desire to honor all that came before him, is what defines Cherelus. He is determined to keep both parts of himself alive.

"Haitian's are strong-minded people. They're going to fight and earn everything they got. The mindset that guys have and the hard-working mentality, so I kind of just want to carry that on when I'm on the field."

He also carries it on at home, speaking fluent Creole with his family, particularly his young daughter.

"I want her to be able to speak it, to understand it, so not only when my mom is over watching her, but sometimes I catch myself, and I speak to her, like say something in Creole to her. I'll talk to her, just so it's in her brain. So as she grows older, she's used to hearing this," he explains.

"I want to make sure I put that in there because on her other side, her mama's family, they were born in Zimbabwe. So I want her to be able to speak all three languages."

But one of the most prominent, visual ways Claudin Cherelus honors his heritage is and will always be with the flag.

"You go to my home here, actually, there are multiple flags everywhere," he shares.

So when the opportunity arose to wear the flag on his helmet this past season as well, it was one the Haitian product embraced wholeheartedly.

"I wear it on my helmet to represent," shares Cherelus. "I want to represent Haiti because it's just strong-minded people in the culture, who fought for their own independence, and I'm proud to be Haitian."