Thoughts And Prayers
Posted by SK, February 12, 2008 - 3:47 pm
Sometimes something happens and you have to stop and step outside the lines that delineate the athletic field for a bit. They are just games, after all.
I don’t know Kenechi Udeze at all, not personally, and not as a fan. I’d barely even heard of him outside the fact that he plays defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings and I would sometimes pick him when I’d play franchise mode in Madden 2005. I loved his name and I loved the fact that he came pretty inexpensive. Put him on the other side of someone like a Julius Peppers, and the opposing QB never had a chance. But I don’t follow the Vikes that closely, and I couldn’t tell you how many games he played in this year or how many sacks he had without looking it up (all 16 and 5.0 respectively, with a forced fumble).
It was announced Monday night that Udeze has been diagnosed with a form of leukemia. Out of respect for him and his family, no one is saying how severe, or what the next steps are. But I guess I’m feeling my mortality more and more these days, and this news hits pretty hard. This kid is just 24 years old, and while he was playing football at the pinnacle of the sport just a few months ago, now he faces a much tougher battle than anything the Packers or the Bears could ever throw at him.
DeepSlant’s prayers are with you, Kenechi. Get well soon.
Share