Thank You from Beyond the Playing Field

Many of us will watch football or some other sport this Thanksgiving weekend.  So often, memories and media moments freeze time, making sports stars and in a sense, we who cheer them, seem ageless.  But, of course, none of us strike the same pose forever.  This year has been a crisp reminder of that:

A few weeks ago Hall of Fame baseball manager Sparky Anderson died of complications from dementia.  That followed New York Yankees owner’s George Steinbrenner’s death after media reported he’d been living with Alzheimer’s. Today media are debating the wisdom or lack thereof  of Penn State University’s football coach Joe Paterno, 84, coming back for his 46th season leading the Nittany Lions.  And earlier this year the family of former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith’s family sent a letter to his former players and other friends.  This copy comes from a posting on the University of North Carolina student paper website:

Our dad is almost eighty years old, so it’s expected that he might show signs of aging. After spending an entire lifetime without a visit to the hospital except to see players and friends, he had to undergo two procedures in the past three years: a knee replacement surgery and a repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. But what other people may have noticed – and what has been speculated about recently in the media – is that our dad may not remember quite like he used to. It’s a stark contrast, because he is widely known for remembering a name, a place, a game, a story – it’s what made other people feel like they were special, because our dad remembered everything.

Coach Smith wanted to keep his professional and personal life separate. But as we all know, the personal and professional life can sometimes overlap, and we understand that many fans, former players, and friends are concerned about his well-being. In trying to balance our dad’s wishes and the genuine concern so many people have for Coach Smith, we want to update you about his health, but ask that you respect his privacy. Our dad has a progressive neurocognitive disorder which affects his memory. So now, he may not immediately recall the name of every former player from his many years in coaching, but that does not diminish what those players meant to him or how much he cares about them. He still remembers the words of a hymn or a jazz standard, but may not feel up to going to a concert. He still plays golf, though usually only for nine holes instead of eighteen. He still attends some sporting events –you might see him in the stands at his grandson’s baseball game. He has difficulty traveling long distances to see the Heels on the road, but he insists on watching all Carolina basketball games on television and cheers as hard as he can for Coach Williams and the team.

Although some of the ways he experiences daily life have changed, he still cherishes his many relationships with Carolina basketball, his family and his friends.

Throughout his career, he has always preferred the spotlight be on the Carolina basketball program and the University, rather than himself. We hope that you will understand and respect his wishes. Thank you for your consideration and well wishes for our dad.

The Smith family letter hits home for many people.  This Thanksgiving, thank you to everyone who is caring for and empowering our fellow human beings.  Thank you for seeing that one’s contributions and value go far, far beyond those "ageless" photos in the scrapbook. Your selfless support defines honor.