A Tribute to Wes Leonard
Wednesday night our twins played their last high school basketball game. The game didn’t turn out well for us and I left the arena with a heavy heart. After years and years of Little League, tournaments, camps and travel, it was over. I wasn’t as upset over losing as I was that there would not be a next game for us.
Then I heard about the young man from Michigan and my perspective totally changed.
Wes Leonard was the star athlete of his high school team. He shot the winning basket that gave his team a 20-0 finish for the season for the first time in at least 20 years.
His teammates were ecstatic. His parents and coach so proud, and then Wes collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital but his heart refused to beat again. He died a winner but for Wes and his parents, there truly will be no more games.
We often hear people comment on the shortness of life and Wes’s death at the age of sixteen is a vivid reminder that no one is guaranteed tomorrow.
I admit to you that as I am writing this I have tears streaming down my face. How my heart aches for his parents and younger brother, his friends and family, and his community. There are simply no words of comfort when life treats a young person so unfairly.
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I remember clearly watching the lights being turned off on the football field my senior year in high school. The song “We may never pass this way again,” was playing on the radio and my best friend and I cried (I was sentimental back then too).
Every thing in life has a beginning and an end, but when the ending comes too soon as it did for this young man, it is a reminder to cherish every single moment: win, lose or draw—basketball is just a game, but watching our children grow into adulthood, well, like the commercial says… that’s priceless.
In Memory of Wes….
Please pray for his parents, brother, community, school, and friends. If you are the parent or grandparent of an athlete, please have your child or grandchild’s heart checked as soon as possible to make sure this doesn’t happen to someone you love.
I am so very sorry for your loss! Thinking of you and the whole team today and in the weeks ahead. May the good Lord bring you comfort.
I have played basketball with this kid my whole life. He was such a talented kid. on and off the court he was known everywhere. i cant express how much this kid will be missed. Just from playing sports with him i feel like i lost a brother.
I will definitely be getting that book! Blessings to you Becky!
True, Tamera. There are others with heavy hearts for loss of children. I think of Molly Thompson and her family often and pray for them.
Such a heart wrenching story!
Yes, Becky, it is true, there is no guarantee. Blessings to your nephew, may that situation resolve in a manner good for him. Teresa
I agree. So sad!
Better to hop late than to not hop at all! Come back and see me again, Marsha!
Hello, hopping by from Facebook Friday – Hmm, I guess I shouldn’t say hopping, as I am moving at a snails pace considering it is now Sunday. LOL
http://www.facebook.com/ourbananamoments
Marsha
Truly one of the most poignant stories I’ve ever heard.
I’m sorry for the game loss of your twins; game. I’m really sorry for the loss of Wes. So sad to lose a young man. It seems things for our young athletes aren’t well, health wise. A school in another town in our state, that’s not far from us, lost a wrestler a month ago. I guess my nephew’s loss of being able to play baseball due to getting axed from the team, for no good reason, pales in comparison to the loss of Wes. At least T. has another chance to play. His passion in baseball and I know he will get another chance. Hugs and thanks for sharing. We have no gurantee for tomorrow or the next minute. Prayers for Wes’ family and friends.
My prayers and thoughts are with the family. Beautiful tribute.
Each time I feel down and out…I always try to remember there’s someone out there who would love to trade places. Thanks for an eloquent reminder of how precious life is. I will certainly be praying for the friends and family of Wes as well as other families who have lost children.
I, too, thought the passing of Wes was very sad. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. It is a stark reminder of how fragile life really is. Your article today made me think of the book ‘Let Me Hold You a Little Longer’. It is about the ‘lasts’ we have and how we don’t always know when the ‘last’ will be. I have given a copy of this book to each of my children in hopes that they will learn to treasure the important moments in life. For the last few days, again, I have been reminded of the many blessings I have and that it is important to cherish each one.
This has haunted me, too…..such an unbelievable loss to all who loved him–which apparently, was everyone he knew! I know that God has a plan, but I guess we’ll have to wait for our next life to understand that plan sometimes.