Day of Mourning…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Doesn’t it always happen that way? That one time you say something that’s kinda nasty and is followed by something tragic?
That was Tuesday. A day removed from basically gloating about Chuck Liddell getting KO’d, you get news like Tuesday.
I didn’t know Evan Tanner, and I didn’t know Heather Harkness, so why am I so sad today? Why am I so sad about two people I didn’t know passing away?
Am I allowed to be sad about it? All I know of Tanner is what I saw when he was in the Octagon in the UFC. That’s it, nothing more, nothing less. He had overcome a lot to get to where he was.
He wasn’t the most recognizable name out there. He wasn’t the biggest name out there. He just did his job and carried himself with respect. Here’s the article.
At 37, Tanner’s best days as the UFC middleweight champ were long gone. He was found dead in the Palo Verde mountain area of the southern California desert. He was just on an adventure, how do you explain that?
He ran out of gas and tried to walk back to civilization and collapsed in the triple-digit heat. What do you make of that? I don’t know, but the MMA world lost a great one this week.
For Bout Blog fans, Heather Harkness is neither a boxer nor an MMA fighter. No, she was an Edmond Santa Fe volleyballer.
She died Tuesday morning during the course of an appendectomy. This one hits me a little bit harder. She had her whole life in front of her.
I didn’t know Heather, don’t know what she looked like, what she liked, etc., but I remember my high school days.
My senior year in Springboro, Ohio, I had a classmate die from a car accident. It shook the entire school. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know Karol Stegemoller that well until senior year, it was one of the few times where there were no cliques. We were all just getting through something together.
And I remember the very next day was the start of the state basketball playoffs where we were supposed to advance pretty far. We got trounced in the first round, but I don’t think anyone cared.
I still have a bunch of mementos from that week, remembering Karol. I’ve moved a lot since 2002, but they’re always going to be with me. There was a Memorial Auction for Karol in June back home, good to know she’s not forgotten.
I don’t know how the ESF volleyball team will continue this season. I don’t think I could. My personal opinion is that all Edmond athletic events should be postponed this weekend, including Friday’s Edlam football game with Edmond Memorial and Edmond Santa Fe.
I don’t know, I just think the kids should be allowed to grieve. Everyone has their own way of doing so, and I don’t think you should force the kids to go out there and hit each other.
I felt this way last year after Rush Springs’ freshman Justin Barney died right before the Rush Springs/Washington game last season. It’s just not easy to turn that switch back on.
Life goes on and eventually everyone will start to feel like themselves again but don’t rush it. School has to be hard enough to not see your classmate there. Give ‘em a rest and let them do whatever is necessary to cope.
It’s not to say that some of the bigger sports don’t have that community feel, but the top volleyball players and coaches all know each other. Not just from newspaper articles and jersey numbers and shaking hands after a match.
The girls are a tight bunch whether it be on the school team or the club team. But they really get to know each other, really build those relationships.
I’ve been reading tonight on various message boards where people are trading their favorite Heather stories. From places all over the state, not just Edmond. Sounds like we all missed out on someone special.
I’m keeping her friends and family in my prayers as I’m sure all of you are. I hope they can find the strength to get through this difficult time.
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[...] Taken from my original Bout Blog post. [...]