A few years back, Larry King interviewed then the widow of Christopher Reeves, Dana Reeves
(who died of lung cancer in 2006 a year after Christopher died),
and asked what the WORST tragedy that a human-being
can possibly experience. Dana said..."Without a doubt, the death of a child..." - this
coming from the widow of a celebrity who had gone through a long and valiant battle
against the spinal cord injury from horseback riding. King agreed wholeheartedly...
(Amazing how many times we see a long-time spouse following the death of the loved
one somewhat unexpectedly as if they were meant to be together here or elsewhere...)
This week in my homeland of South Korea, the biggest news is about the wiping out of an
entire family (mother and 3 young daughters) by a cold-hearted murderer/hitman...
This psycho was romantically involved with the single mother who owned a restaurant but looks like
he turned his back against her when he got deeper and deeper into financial troubles.
The murderer literally beat the family to death with baseball bat and put the
bodies in a large, wheeled luggage. His silhouette and facial features were caught
on the security camera while carrying out the bodies from the apartment building.
Within days, the police listed him as the WANTED man and the chase was on...
The next day, he wrote his last letters to his brother and to another confidante of his
and committed suicide by jumping off the bridge...
The investigation is in full-force, so we'll find out more about it, but it's just
a horrible tragedy particularly when there are young lives involved in the murder...
What makes this case even more difficult to believe and comprehend is that the alleged
murderer used to be a stud, professional baseball player in Korea. A multiple Gold Glove right-fielder
and one of the best clutch hitters in the late 80 to mid 90's during which his team was
THE Baseball Dynasty in Korea by winning EIGHT championships!!! (Think Paul O'Neil or
Dale Murphy).
Even in the US, we come across
so many former professional athletes who become totally lost in life after retiring
from the game and lead their lives in the most unproductive and unpredictable manner.
Lee (the stud-turned-hitman) was no different. Many of these athletes are deprived of
opportunities to be properly educated about life in general and especially about life
after sports. Having lived in an environment where agents and financial advisers
seemed so foreign and unnecessary, Lee struggled mightily figuring out what to do
with his money and his life when faced with a challenge of proceeding his life
without any coaches, teammates, and baseball around him. He ended up
hanging out with wrong people who took advantage of his money and naivete,
and eventually got him totally broke...
After dealing the initial shock of hearing such a horrendous news, the next thing
that comes to my mind is... WHAT ARE WE TEACHING THESE ATHLETES ABOUT
HOW TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR LIFE AFTER PROFESSIONAL SPORTS??
- more reason for us the Sport Management people to put our knowledge
and experience in making a positive impact in society by helping people in need.
The next thought for me...however strange this might sound...was his parents...
It's one thing to hear about something as frightful and abominable on TV.
When you find out that your own child is the No.1 suspect, my God...
What have those folks done to deserve something like that...
As a young parent myself, I think there is ONE exception to the "Worst Tragedy" consensus
that Dana Reeves and Larry King talked about...As a parent, I would feel a sense of relief
by hearing that your child, who took out the lives of innocent, young kids, has committed
suicide... You would know that there is no place in society for someone like that - whether
it's your son or someone else. Am I a proponent of death penalty? I don't know, but
that a whole separate discussion...
It might be an Asian thing, but I bet the shame of having raised
a child "that way" is probably as haunting and unbearable for his folks than the death itself.
I felt kinda of the same way when I heard about the Virginia Tech Massacre
last year and thought about the guy's parents...
As parents, you give everything you have to raise your children the right way...
to ensure that they'll be OK with their lives...and to fulfill that eternal responsibility
of being parents... And if an incident like this comes along with your own kid,
I know I'd be totally lost...totally lost...
If the last and ultimate reward for giving all you've got for your kids
(as many of our parents and grand parents have done so in the past)
is an utter back-breaker like that, I'd be totally lost...
The take-away for me?? Be good to your kids....be good to your folks...
you only live once...do the right thing and make your kids and folks proud...
My thoughts and prayers to the young victims...Amen...
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