Happy 2nd day of school! Teachers, I clearly remember when I was still in the classroom, going through the first day, getting in a groove, and feeling pretty good. Then, usually as I was walking out to the parking lot, it hit me: I had to do it all again the next day! Hats off to all of you for doing what you do so well so consistently!!!
Speaking of doing things well, we need to talk about Kevin Williams. I first became acquainted with last football season, when he was lying on the turf waiting for an ambulance. He had been blindsided on a play and had been hurt pretty bad; I recall being very impressed at the courage he showed that night. Little did I know that the courage he displayed was a harbinger of an even more impressive act. Kevin, a sophomore, helped a young boy out of a burning building on Monday night, injuring himself in the process of breaking out some windows with his bare hands to free a 4 year old neighbor from a room he had locked himself in.
As per wane.com, Kevin had this to say: “I did what had to be done,” Williams said. “I had to help him out and with him being my little buddy, it meant so much more, like I was pulling out a family member.”
One thing that people do entirely too much in sports is talk about heroes. Being a hero because you can run fast, catch a ball, or put a ball in a hoop? In reality, not so much. This, folks, is the real deal. Doing something not because it is easy, but because it is right. One of the cornerstones of our program is selfless service to others; caring more about someone else than we do ourselves. The ultimate service to another is saving a life, and Kevin didn’t hesitate a bit to put himself in danger to do that.
As the parent of a 4 year old, I’m not sure that even Kevin knows the level of service he provided for the young boy’s parents, but Kevin, take it from me: I have no doubt you will do great things with your life, but you will never do anything that is any more meaningful than you did Monday night.
Being a hero is often defined as an ordinary person doing something extraordinary. There is absolutely no doubt that Kevin did something extraordinary; as for being an ordinary person, I respectfully disagree. Kevin Williams is a lot of things; ordinary isn’t one of them. Come to think of it, none of our kids are normal; they are East Noble Knights; thank you so much Kevin for who you are, what you did, and for the example you have given all of us!