Pro Bowl Miracle
? ? ?Allow me to introduce you to my new buddy William Car. We met today as I pulled into the parking lot of AZ Golf Works. I needed to get my?driver fixed and he was out of "juice"--the batteries of his motorized scooter's batteries had died. My man Bill (as his friends call him), was on his way home when he?stalled. I asked him if he had a plan to resolve his dilemma, or if there was anyone I could call for him. Unfortunately Bill's wife was unavailable, and his plan was to?find someone to help him. It turned out, I was that help. I was unable?to find an electrical outlet, so I had Bill jump on his scooter and I pushed him home (about a half mile). During our cruise down University Ave. in Tempe, I discovered that?Bill is a hell of a guy-trained soldiers to operate tanks during WWII, and moved to AZ years ago. He'll be 82 on April 7th. It turns out, AZ Golf Works was closed so I headed home when I?realized the Pro Bowl is this weekend.?I was?nominated to the?2004 Pro Bowl as the "need player."? After the regular season, I received a phone call from Jason Jenkins (49ers PR guy) as I was headed to my class at ASU. I could not believe it because a Long Snapper had not been selected to the Pro Bowl since the 70's. I quickly contacted my family and we all headed to Hawaii. The 2004 Pro Bowl was one of the greatest times of my life during one of the worst times of my life. It truly made me believe that anything is possible. When I was introduced before the game I laughed because I had not been introduced at a game since my Senior Day at ASU. I was an un-recruited walk on and never started a game in college. In high school I spent most of my time as a menace to society not a star athlete. When I was 17,?I was on house arrest for kids....the next thing I know I'm playing in the Pro Bowl.? Miracles happen. The spring of 2005 was the lowest and most challenging times of my life,?as the?Pro Bowl happened amid a series of personal tragedies that began on April 22, 2004 and continued through August 20,2005. The?first date may sound familiar--the day Pat Tillman was killed. The second date is the day that Thomas Herrion died after one of our preseason games. During this year and a half misfortune hit my life like a freight train. Including a 2-14 season, a pair of family crisises, and the death of a couple more of my friends including Brandon Falkner (March 26, 2005) who was killed while leaving a night club in Scottsdale. The cumulative effects of these events?forever changed the direction of my life. Yet some how, some way, I was selected to the Pro Bowl--the one bright spot or ray of hope during some dark days. A little encouragement to keep going and the knowledge that each day could contain a miracle. In February 2004 I needed some help, today my man William Car needed some help. It took a few minutes out of my day and William made it home safely. When I was named to the Pro Bowl, Coach Mora did not know that I was stuck, floundering, and drifting into depression, but he helped me out when I needed it. I will forever be grateful to the NFL and Coach Mora for taking me to the Pro Bowl that year, and as for Bill, his sincere handshake and thank you was?more than?I needed. God Bless and Go Team.
JASON323_310 said February 08, 2009
drapestar said February 08, 2009
Can't wait for 2009--GO NINERS
Shanelle626 said February 09, 2009
Lizzy72180 said July 13, 2009