#21

Today was a sad day for many people across the country. The Washington Redskins star safety, Sean Taylor, passed away in a Miami-area hospital early this morning.

Sean was injured by an intruder who may/may not have been a robber in his home early Monday morning. Two gunshots were fired, the one hit severing his femural artery causing a huge loss of blood. Sean's girlfriend and baby were present in the house and called 911 immediately. He was airlifted to the nearest trauma center where he underwent 7 hours of surgery. Immediate family and Redskins team members flew down to be with him yesterday. After surgery, Sean was listed in critical condition, with doctors concerned that there would be brain damage because of the severe blood loss. The last report from the hospital in the evening was somewhat positive as Sean made just the slightest turn for the better by squeezing the doctor's hand at request and making some facial expressions/movements. We (the fans, Seans family and friends) were hopeful that this was a tiny step on his way to recovering from this horrible event.

Unfortunately, there won't be any recovery. The trauma from injury and blood loss was too much. Sean was only 24 when he passed away. He was a new father, and was engaged to be married. He was on track to having his best season as a top safety in the NFL. What was the beginning of a very promising life was cut short by a horrible act of violence.

There are a lot of speculation as to what happened in the Taylor home that morning. Some speculators think because of growing up in a bad neighborhood of Miami or whatever bad ties he made at the U, that what happened to Sean Taylor was highly probable or even inevitable. I disagree. Everyone through rough patches on their way to adulthood, and everyone has the choice to decide what path they are going to take. So while Sean did get into trouble with the ATV incident several years ago, he also chose to amend his life after it and live fully by playing his sport and focusing on his family. He didn't deserve to have someone else decide how things were to turn out for him.

As a football fan, I am saddened by the loss of a dynamic player who was passionate about the game and demonstrated that in every play on the field. We will never know what Sean's full potential would have been as an athlete. As a person, I mourn for his family and friends-- no one should have to experience something as tragic as the loss of a son, a significant other, a father in such a brutal way and so early in life.