 |
| Will's Friends Honoring his life at Bob Anderson Stadium |
Suicide is something our society speaks of softly. We don’t reach out to help those who need us, when they need us most.
I hope there is a spark being set tonight to change that unfortunate fact. Will McDaniel will be sorely missed and many are left pondering the question with no answer……why? I wish I had answers to help others prevent such action in the future, but maybe this can be the positive outcome of Will’s life.
I stood in amazement and wonder tonight as I watched hundreds of Neosho Youth stand on the gridiron – that was Will’s stage for so many years – in honor of him and his life. These young people gathered in a classy show of respect and remembrance. They all knelt in prayer and recited scripture, as they sought an inner peace so difficult for them to grab on this dark night.
The kids placed a respectful large “24”, in luminaries across the stands of Bob Anderson Stadium, in Will’s honor. I wish Will could have seen the impact he had on so many.
I hope the sparks, used to light the luminaries, burn into a much larger fire and that is the fire of compassion, love, and friendship. I have seen many tragedies, like this first hand, and they are never easy; each with their own circumstance and story. But, this is a time of opportunity; a time to make Will’s Legacy be one of teaching and healing.
I hope everyone can take a moment and talk openly about what has transpired and educate themselves on “being there” for others. So often we go about our lives in a hustle and bustle, with little regard for others and what troubles they may be facing. People in our society, who seek help for such thoughts are often labeled and looked down upon. This is wrong and must stop.
We have lost a treasured part of Neosho’s future today, but as I watched this huge throng of kids coming together as one – I realized we have a great chance to solve a long standing wrong in America. That is the wrong of not caring more for our fellow man.
I hope each of these kids thinks of Will and the greatness he brought to their lives and then they keep a piece of the extreme pain they feel today for his loss. I hope that pain drives them to ensure no one, in their lives, will ever be in a position to feel they need to seek this form of escape.
It does not matter “why”, it matters we come together – as these great loving kids did – as one and tell all people we love them.
