I'm a sports guy. I grew up playing catch with my dad and in turn I now do the same with my daughter. I played sports, covered it as a sports writer and it's still a part of my life. I watch ball games on TV, take my family to games and talk about games with my friends. A lot of who and where I am is directly related to sports.
Nevertheless it's just a game.
I got ground checked Thursday morning when the news broke that a 22-year-old pitcher for the L.A. Angels was killed in a car wreck. A drunk drive ran through a red light, hit his car and killed him. Just a few hours before the kid and played his best game as a Big Leaguer.
This kid was cut down just as he was entering the prime of his life. He'd overcome odds, climbed the mountain and was making his dream come true. It's a helluva thing to see somebody reach the summit only to get knocked off before getting an opportunity to enjoy the view.
I'm not sure what will happen to the drunk diver. I feel assured jail time is in his future. I hope they let him go to the kids funeral . Let him listen to words and the tears. There's no worse sound than a mother crying over the loss of a child. He needs to hear that sound and etch into his memory.
A drunk driver is no better than somebody firing a gun into a crowd. Instead of a revolver he used a vehicle as his weapon of choice. Justice is coming and he'll be judged twice. Once by peers and in the end by God. Choices made last longer than just a lifetime.
I was at a ball game Thursday evening. We had a moment of silence. I said a silent prayer for the kid and his family. Death is a sneaky sonofabitch ... it makes not a sound.
1 comment:
There are no guarantees, that's for sure. On the upside, at least this kid spent his time here following his dream. At least he pitched big league ball.
There are some who come and go without ever reaching for the kind of life that would make their heart sing. That's what's really sad.
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