Jan 27 09
Two years ago today, January 27, 2007 fell on a Saturday. It was an ordinary day in some ways and an extraordinary one in other ways.
Andrew and I piled his soccer gear in the car for a trip up to the Wyoming Valley Dome in Wilkes Barre, PA for the Pennsylvania Indoor Soccer State Championships. Andrew was really excited for this tournament since it would be his first chance to play in the PA state championship after playing in the DE tournaments for the previous six years.
Something didn’t look right in the first of six games. Andrew looked a little sluggish and, after the game, he looked very pale. He said he didn’t feel great, but he wasn’t that concerned. Andrew’s coaches and I were a little concerned, so I told him that I wanted him to sit out a few games. One of the parents was pretty sure that Andrew was suffering from a migraine. Isn’t it strange how everything in life is relative. I was bummed out by the prospect that Andrew was becoming a migraine sufferer, since I know how crappy that can make you feel. Andrew had a banana and slept in the car while I read the newspaper next to him. We were hoping that a little rest would help. It seemed to do the trick.
Later in the day, Andrew’s color was better and he said that he was feeling much better. I made the decision to let him play. His coaches eased him back into the games and he looked pretty good. In the championship game, Andrew made a slide tackle which may have saved the game. There were only a few seconds left. Andrew was so proud that, as the newest member of the team, he helped them win the state championship.
I will never forget going over to Andrew after the game, hugging him, complimenting him and telling him that “Man, you have the ‘heart of a champion’!”…just like the Nelly song that we were playing on the way to the game. He was smiling then and in the team photo. Andrew’s Coach John Hingley noted that Andrew, the sickest child on the team, was the only one smiling in that team photo (see welcome page on Caringbridge or www.BePositive.org ...top row, far left). This is the last photo of Andrew before he went into the hospital. Never in my wildest nightmare did I think Andrew’s heart would stop beating just 48 hours later.
Should I have taken him to a hospital after that very first game that day?
As cool as it was to win the championship, the day got much better as we made the 2.5-3 hr drive home to Wilmington. My buddy and I talked about everything - from girls to MySpace/Facebook to school to his best friend, Ali. I wish that trip was 24 hours long! It was such a special time with my son, my friend. That was the last conversation of its kind that I would ever have with my son…on this earth.
Unbeknownst to all of us, our lives were about to inexplicably and painfully change forever.
I love you and miss you, Andrew!
Dad