The loss of a Hero and a super star!

This morning brought shocking news. I was lying in bed and heard the reporter state the unthinkable. I was convinced, like many that the positive signs were going to mean good news in the morning. This is tough enough to deal with as an adult. I now try to figure out how to explain this to my son. Anyone that knows Jackson, knows that there is no bigger Redskins fan. He will hear this at school, so his father and I have to explain to him this morning that one of his heros has senselessly had his life taken from him. I cannot imagine how his own child or family will deal with this news. I kept fighting anger yesterday as local news stations felt it neccesary to bring up his previous legal trouble. This was a changed man. Those of us here know how he has changed. I am emotional and sometimes I am quick to judge. It was difficult for me to get past Sean’s previous troubles but this year during training camp, he showed me that he was changed. The story was better told by his father but I want to share it anyway. Jackson knows his players and typically the numbers. He unforunately struggles because of free agency and players moving back and forth between teams. When he saw number 21 run by he instinctively called out “Mr. Smoot, Mr. Smoot!”. From what the media has reported, you would expect him to run right past and ignore Jackson’s mistake. He did not. He took the time to stop and tell Jackson that his name was Sean and asked Jackson’s name. He signed his autograph and continued to engage Jackson in conversation. He ended with telling him that he was glad that he came out to camp. Jackson was moved, as were his father and I. So this morning, as the hogs.net’s resident over reactor and emotionally charged person, I fight tears. Tears for the loss of a player, a father, a son, a hero to my young son. I want my son to know that you are more in life then what you do. Sean has helped me teach him this lesson. I hate that he was taken from this life before more people got to see the side of him that he shared with us that day. My thoughts are with his family. The Redskins family will suffer through this loss for a long time to come. Sean you will be missed not on the football field but in life. Rest in…