Here's a wake up call about a disease that has devastating and deadly side affects. Diabetes strikes nearly 21 million children and adults in the United States, but one-third of the people who have it don't know it. That's why it's called the silent killer.

When Wayne Rollins played for the Orlando Magic he was "the intimidator." He was so tall and strong his nickname was "Tree." But even this mammoth-sized man was not match for diabetes.

"I just thought it wouldn't hit me I mean I'm an athlete, I work out," said Wayne.

Tree knew the awful consequences of diabetes. He saw it devastate his own family, including a brother who's paying an awful price.

"He didn't manage his and he had to lose half of his right foot and then he had a stroke," Wayne said.

His mother and 3 brothers all battle diabetes, yet Tree told himself "not me." And so he ignored the warning signs.

"I was used to being really tired and being drained because of the work load," Wayne said.

But the mighty "tree" was about to fall.

"I was panicked, I thought I was going to die the next day," he said.

A blood test showed his blood glucose was off the charts.

Now Tree wears an insulin pump and tests his blood levels regularly.

He cautions his own kids and everyone to get tested.

"Especially if you have a family history of diabetes, get checked," Wayne said.

Tree's doctor's office is packed with patients, none as tall as tree, but they're fighting diabetes too.

"If you have diabetes your risk of a heart attack is 300 percent higher than a person of your own age who doesn't have diabetes," said Dr. Victor Roberts. "It's the leading cause of blindness. It's the leading cause of amputation below the knee. These things can be prevented and they must be prevented."

An estimated 54 million Americans have 'pre-diabetes' where their blood glucose levels are elevated. Losing weight and increasing exercise can help delay or prevent the onset of diabetes. To find out if you're at risk you can click this link and take the Diabetes Risk Test."