As sports writer and football coach in Oregon it was with a heavy heart that I learned of Matthew Newman and the terrible injury he suffered.
After it happened there was some press but not a lot. Football season moved on. Then we saw the death by concussion of Andrew Swank at Valley Christian High School at about this same time which was unthinkable.
I looked for more news about Matthew and I kept thinking about him. I have never met him and never been to Cowiche. I went to
www.caringbridge.com where his cousin Meagan set up a tribute and informational site. Clearly support was pouring in there.
At some point I viewed the pictures and read every post and started to think about him and what he must be going through. We ran an article or two at
WashingtonPreps.com to let people know more about him and direct them to Caring Bridge.
Finally a call came in to me from the family and I began to understand more about the horrible tragedy that had befallen him and about how hard he was and is working to make it back to his life; one that will never really be the same. The family is very private and does not want to discuss what is happening to him right now. But we made a connection.
Then I saw the fuzzy image of a youngster in the backdrop of one of Matthew's pictures online. You clearly can not see who it is but you can see an outline of a young boy sort of looking towards Matthew from the baseline of a basketball gym.
I asked my wife Darcey to look at the picture because the shape of this young guys frame looked very similar to her young nephew Ryan Lacey of Auburn. After forgetting about it and writing it off for a week or two her cousin Jeff Lacey called. At the end of the call I told him about this funny coincidence. He said he doubted that this was his son but that he would look. The next day he called to say this was his in fact his son. None of us know the Newman's yet we are connected by a photo and at the same time separated by hundreds of miles and millions of people.
I then began to reflect on my own son Konner's concussion from 2008 as a Senior Captain at Portland's Westview High School. He had been hurt in a drill where he was tackling a 310 pound Tackle that was running the ball. Konner never told us what happened. He seemed fine but it was a day or two after the fact we found out about it. Four weeks later he finally returned to the field after he passed a baseline test that was given to him to verify his brain was working right. He failed it three times before he was cleared to play. So I learned about concussions first hand.
On the very day I was pondering all of this we saw a Nightline Special with Martin Bashir about "Iron Mike" Webster who died of Brain Injuries related to repeated small concussions he had during his Hall of Fame Career at the Steelers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzMBY59Fn20The next few days after that we saw a another article about the Lystedt Law in Washington making it the leading State in the Country for concussion prevention. It was clear and things were beginning to fall into place for me. This has been a bad year for concussions and ironically maybe the worst one ever even though we are trying to do more as a community to stop them.
I Google searched for more info and stories about Matthew. His story had gone quiet. His blog site was silent. Infections and other setbacks were keeping him from trying to continue his rehab.
I looked at his pictures some more. There he was #7 rolling out to pass. Pictures of posters from home and other banners from well wishing teams. Yet in many ways the season was moving on and his story becoming something that was moving on too.
At a game I realized that we as a community need to raise awareness even higher on this concussion issue and in particular about Matthew Newman. We, I, needed to let people know that there is a kid at Seattle Children's Hospital that is fighting. Maybe we can not stop concussions and maybe we can not help others right now but we can try and help this one. Sometimes helping one is enough.
Standing there on the sideline with all this in my head and our team the Wildcats completing a score I new what I had to do. I asked an awesome young student named Amalia Pavlatos to
raise her hands with the #7 to honor a friend. I did not tell her much just that he was hurt and could use our thoughts and prayers. She gladly did and I snapped a shot. Then we both did it.
Right there at that moment 9 Days ago
"Raise 7 For Matthew" was born. I ran home and finished a
Face Book page that I had started and posted information too. I posted the picture on Saturday. On Monday people began to join and make a commitment that they would Raise 7 fingers in the air at their next game to honor #7. Matthew nor his family knew what was going on and all I know is that the forces that compelled me to do this were too great.
I made a simple black and white Face Book Badge. That was OK but kind of morbid. I then sent a copy of the picture of Amalia to my graphic designer in the Philippines. He does not know what football is. But he understood what I was trying for.
In 10 minutes he sent back our Logo which became a rallying point. What he, and I , and Amalia did not know is that her hands as she raised them made the word L O V E when you look at it and it is not a stretch to see it. Now Ramil, my designer, turned her into a guy on the logo but that was not his fault. Sorry Amalia. :)
Now we had some momentum. We created a
link where people can donate some money to Matthew through Pay Pal and that is having some funds trickle in. 100% of that is going to him.
I reached out to all my Facebook friends many of whom play the game in the Northwest. We reached out to the Seahawks, the Huskies, Cougars, Kellen Moore, Warren Moon, Jake Locker, Sonny Sixkiller, and almost 50 high school programs. We reached out to the WIAA and Mark Rypien the Red Skins great QB who now resides in Spokane.
To date the
WIAA has responded stating that they are aware of our cause and they are as of Now considering our request to recognize Matthew during one of the events. These requests are made all the time which we understand but this year with all that we have seen we really feel that Matthew Newman deserves recognition.
Mark Rypien is the only other public figure that has stepped forward and offered his support and he runs the
Rypien Foundation for Childhood Cancer which his son fell victim to. Thank You so much Mark!
We persevered. Some of my friends and his fans began to send in pictures and prayers and well wishes. We began to hear stories of Raise 7 For Matthew happenings around the NW and at Oregon High School Games. The Face Book site is now at 668 Fans and growing. At Highland High in Cowiche they are raising 7 all over town. His Aunt Michele and Cousin Meagan are getting ready for the first run of the T shirts that will have the logo on them and be sold for a fundraiser as well. They are really cool and will be available through the website.
Meagan Martin is a WSU student and is perhaps Matthew's biggest champion! She started the Caring Bridge site and is the steward of all information coming out on Matthew. Meagan is the driving force behind all of this and I am merely a bit player. See what she has done at
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/matthewnewman1 and leave your messages there for Matthew.
Now we come to the Nooksack Valley Pioneers. One of my great helpers at washingtonpreps.com this year has been Jonathan Cragle. He is involved at that program and has long told me about this team. In fact he goes on and on. Well he took up the cause in the middle of last week. The boys took to it and this story of their miracle come back has been amazing. Down 27 points they rally to win and they take time to Raise 7 For Matthew while they are doing it. God bless them all. That is completely awesome and perhaps the best sports story this year in Washington. Read The Story form the Seattle Times Here:
"Pioneer's Raise 7 For Matthew Against Kings"Chris Ames at meridianfootball.com and www.statewidestats.com has been a huge supporter. So has Manny Mallito and the boys at www.washingtonsportsnetwork.net who have linked to our site as well. Bryan Levesque has become very involved in Clark County at
www.gshlfootball.com. These are all some of the best sports and football people you will ever meet.
There are a lot of problems in the world. Concussions in sports is just one of them. We can debate this all we want. Fact is we need to keep working on better gear, better fields, and maybe some rules changes to up the ante on defenders that choose to use their helmet as a weapon; something that is getting worse and not better.
For football I have to say that concussions and the issues surrounding them are the dark side of the sport; probably as much as steroid abuse. But as a community we have to address it and embrace it. If we don't then this sport is heading for some real trouble. To me it is the greatest sport ever designed. As a coach I can control my field. As a writer I can impact an even bigger one.
I hope to meet
Matthew Newman the weekend of the State Championships on Dec 4-5. I am taking him a check for whatever funds we have raised by then with the hope he can get something to help him out during his recovery which will take much longer then the almost 10 weeks he has been fighting. We will take him a T-shirt and some pictures and I hope one of
Raise 7 For Matthew being carried out at the Tacoma Dome.
But most of all I hope to shake the hand of the brave young man that has no quit in him that people tell me is a born natural. They say he is a heck of a kid. I am sure he is. And when I come through that door if I am able I am going to Raise 7 For Matthew.
We are all with him. I want you all reading this to join our efforts. Individuals and Corporations alike have something to gain here. Go to Raise 7 For Matthew and join us. Raise your hands at a high school, college, or NFL game and do it. It will help you more then him; believe me I know. Get involved and help us help him. Just Do It!
Thanks to Meagan, and Amalia, and Jonathan, and the Nooksack Valley Pioneers, and all the fans and players who are helping. Keep up your good work!Go to www.Raise7forMatthew.com and the
Face Book Page get involved.
With all my love and respect;
Dirk Knudsen; Darcey, Kord, Konner, and Kole
Editor
www.WashingtonPreps.comwww.OregonPreps.com
I am so pumped reading this!!!! A ride it has been and a wonderfully, positive ride at that. From the darkest of hell to the brightness of life and whats to come....Matthew you are an inspiration to all of us. You have brought strangers together to be a part of your fight and we have become friends because of you. Your family has inspired other families to realize what is really important....each other. You keep fighting the good fight there buddy and know that we all continue the prayers and encouragements and the 7's for you....we know you will win.....WE BELIEVE IN YOU!!!! Your guardian angel Dirk is the man to thank for getting this started and I am so glad he did!!!! Blessings and more blessings! ♥
ReplyDeleteKathi