luvhoops34
10-05-2007, 11:21 AM
I got this in an email from a friend. Thought I'd share it with y'all.
This season, six area football teams have black "SS" stickers on their
helmets. What does the "SS" stand for?
"A way of giving people life," Richardson Berkner coach Jim Ledford
will tell you. He just might not want to tell you more because, well,
football guys aren't supposed to get emotional.
The story starts in August, when Berkner held a three-day football camp
for stars of the future. Stars of the distant future, such as 6-year-old
Spencer Squire.
Spencer was one of the campers running around, having fun, dreaming of
being a football player. On the final day of camp, he gave the coach a
gift.
"He comes up and hands me a little Sonic gift card," Ledford said, "and
tells me that he had a great time."
That was Aug. 3, a typically sports-filled day for the sports-fanatic
Spencer.
The next day, he slipped into a coma. Four days later, Spencer died.
The cause was an aggressive form of brain cancer that nobody knew
Spencer had. There were no symptoms, no warning signs. But maybe that
was a blessing.
"He didn't have any pain," said his mother, Anna Squire.
The pain was left for those who knew Spencer. And they decided to deal
with the loss by emphasizing what could be gained from his life. Patrick
and Anna Squire started by donating their son's organs.
Then they created a scholarship in Spencer's name at Texas A&M, where
both are alums, and set up an account to fund a playground at his
school, Boon Elementary in Allen. They're also organizing a book drive
in Allen to help underprivileged kids.
"From grief to purpose," Anna Squire said. It reminds people how
Spencer liked to help others.
Berkner remembered Spencer during a pregame ceremony Sept. 7,
presenting the Squire family with a helmet, game ball and a jersey with
Spencer's name on it. And now, Spencer is remembered on the helmets of
Berkner, Allen, Plano East, Wylie, Plano and Lake Highlands.
The sticker idea came from Berkner assistant Dave Handal, who is
friends with the Squires and whose son, Kasen, was one of Spencer's best
buddies. The Squire family, which includes Spencer's 3-year-old brother,
Ryan, lives in Allen. The Plano East connection comes from coach Johnny
Ringo's sister, a close friend of Anna Squire. Wylie, Plano and Lake
Highlands coaches simply heard the story and wanted to join in.
So Ledford had six sets of stickers made.
"It's to promote organ donation awareness," Anna Squire said, "and
remember how Spencer lived life to the fullest."
Spencer certainly did. He traveled to Hawaii, London and Walt Disney
World. He ran the bases at Texas A&M's Olsen Field, presented a game
ball at Texas A&M's Reed Arena and even visited Fenway Park.
He was full of life.
"I was just so distraught about it," Ledford said, "because you see him
running around, and then he's not there anymore. It just doesn't seem
fair."
Not fair at all. But although Spencer's life was short, it was
complete.
"Life is a circle. And circles come in different sizes," began his
obituary, written by his parents. "Although Spencer's circle was small,
it was complete, whole and fulfilled."
And his legacy lives on. Spencer's liver was donated to a 45-year-old
woman who was so petite that she needed a child-sized liver. She has one
adult child, Anna Squire was told, and two grandchildren – one of whom
is Spencer's age.
It makes Spencer's life more of a blessing, his mom said.
"He truly captured life and enjoyed life to the fullest, helping others
and always smiling," she said. "Spencer gave us the gift of love, and he
gave the gift of life."
This season, six area football teams have black "SS" stickers on their
helmets. What does the "SS" stand for?
"A way of giving people life," Richardson Berkner coach Jim Ledford
will tell you. He just might not want to tell you more because, well,
football guys aren't supposed to get emotional.
The story starts in August, when Berkner held a three-day football camp
for stars of the future. Stars of the distant future, such as 6-year-old
Spencer Squire.
Spencer was one of the campers running around, having fun, dreaming of
being a football player. On the final day of camp, he gave the coach a
gift.
"He comes up and hands me a little Sonic gift card," Ledford said, "and
tells me that he had a great time."
That was Aug. 3, a typically sports-filled day for the sports-fanatic
Spencer.
The next day, he slipped into a coma. Four days later, Spencer died.
The cause was an aggressive form of brain cancer that nobody knew
Spencer had. There were no symptoms, no warning signs. But maybe that
was a blessing.
"He didn't have any pain," said his mother, Anna Squire.
The pain was left for those who knew Spencer. And they decided to deal
with the loss by emphasizing what could be gained from his life. Patrick
and Anna Squire started by donating their son's organs.
Then they created a scholarship in Spencer's name at Texas A&M, where
both are alums, and set up an account to fund a playground at his
school, Boon Elementary in Allen. They're also organizing a book drive
in Allen to help underprivileged kids.
"From grief to purpose," Anna Squire said. It reminds people how
Spencer liked to help others.
Berkner remembered Spencer during a pregame ceremony Sept. 7,
presenting the Squire family with a helmet, game ball and a jersey with
Spencer's name on it. And now, Spencer is remembered on the helmets of
Berkner, Allen, Plano East, Wylie, Plano and Lake Highlands.
The sticker idea came from Berkner assistant Dave Handal, who is
friends with the Squires and whose son, Kasen, was one of Spencer's best
buddies. The Squire family, which includes Spencer's 3-year-old brother,
Ryan, lives in Allen. The Plano East connection comes from coach Johnny
Ringo's sister, a close friend of Anna Squire. Wylie, Plano and Lake
Highlands coaches simply heard the story and wanted to join in.
So Ledford had six sets of stickers made.
"It's to promote organ donation awareness," Anna Squire said, "and
remember how Spencer lived life to the fullest."
Spencer certainly did. He traveled to Hawaii, London and Walt Disney
World. He ran the bases at Texas A&M's Olsen Field, presented a game
ball at Texas A&M's Reed Arena and even visited Fenway Park.
He was full of life.
"I was just so distraught about it," Ledford said, "because you see him
running around, and then he's not there anymore. It just doesn't seem
fair."
Not fair at all. But although Spencer's life was short, it was
complete.
"Life is a circle. And circles come in different sizes," began his
obituary, written by his parents. "Although Spencer's circle was small,
it was complete, whole and fulfilled."
And his legacy lives on. Spencer's liver was donated to a 45-year-old
woman who was so petite that she needed a child-sized liver. She has one
adult child, Anna Squire was told, and two grandchildren – one of whom
is Spencer's age.
It makes Spencer's life more of a blessing, his mom said.
"He truly captured life and enjoyed life to the fullest, helping others
and always smiling," she said. "Spencer gave us the gift of love, and he
gave the gift of life."