Let me start things off by saying Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. Hopefully barbecues, power tools and the easy chair filled the majority of your weekends. After working hard ‘round the clock, it’s great to see dad flip his feet up and relax for one day.
As I was firing off a text to my dad (don’t worry I had a FaceTime date with my parents the night before) I realized many of us likely take for granted the fact we can wish our pa’s a Happy Father’s Day. I have some friends who are unable to tell their dad how much they love him. Neither of my parents was able to call up their fathers today and offer well wishes. There are some who simply dread Father’s Day (or Mother’s Day for that matter) because they see nothing but Facebook or Twitter posts celebrating dad (or mom) when they have lost their parent(s) and cannot do the same. I hope everyone continues to honor their mom, dad, grandparents, siblings or whomever when it is their day to be celebrated. But keep in mind those who cannot do the same and make sure to take none of it for granted. Friday I was catching up on my Montana news (I may not live there but I still like to keep in touch with what’s happening) when I came across an update to a story earlier in the week. Fairfield volleyball coach and teacher Stephanie Harrell (Schmidt) was identified as the deceased victim of a car crash. I immediately re-read the article thinking perhaps my eyes had played a trick on me. Sadly this was not the case. Coach Steph was always quick to report her scores. She consistently offered story ideas, not just on her volleyball players but other athletes and not just in Fairfield. This kind, friendly woman was taken from her loved ones too soon. As I sat in my edit bay Saturday afternoon putting the finishing touches on a nightly sportscast, I found myself exploring Twitter when I stumbled upon more troubling news. Andrew Valdez, a young Arizona Wildcat fan and dear friend of my boss, had lost his battle with cystic fibrosis earlier in the morning. Andrew was well known in the Tucson community. Rich Rodriguez and the Arizona football players visited him frequently. He popped by their practice from time to time and went to games at Arizona Stadium. He was an inspiration to many because of the battle he fought every day. Suddenly, he too was taken from loved ones too soon. I never met Andrew, at least not officially. I had seen him before but never shook his hand or introduced myself. Still, as I was reading the tweets and Facebook posts from Arizona players and community members, giving their condolences to the family and offering memories of their time with Andrew, a lump formed in my throat. I thought of my friend Sam Kolve, another young man taken from this world by an awful disease. It’s unfair these families will never get to celebrate another birthday, Christmas or 4th of July with their loved ones. Still I imagine many of us, myself included, don’t think for a second how lucky we are to enjoy these moments. I recently started attempting to get back into running. As my wife and I were trotting along, I complained about how awful it was. Her response has stuck with me and I hope to pass it along to you. “Think of how lucky we are to be able to run,” Fallon said. “I see many people at work (at the hospital) that would give anything to simply go for a run. Don’t take it for granted.” We’ve all heard those last words a thousand times, but I’m doing my best to actually live them and not just hear them. Because as sad as it is, everything can disappear in one blink. I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Stephanie, Andrew and as always, my pal Sam. Know that your loved ones touched so many lives in positive ways that could never be imagined. RIP
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AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
April 2016
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