Jeffrey Blackwell Blackwell

Like so many of you, I was deeply saddened to learn of Kevin’s passing. My deepest condolences and prayers go out to his family. Kevin’s life sounds as though it was one well-lived. Too short, as all our lives are, but a good life, filled with reciprocated love.

Kevin and I were teammates for three years in both wrestling and football.  Kevin wrestled heavyweight and typically there was usually only one other heavyweight on the team.  I wrested one or sometimes two weight-classes below Kevin (165/175) so that made me one of the “bigger” guys on the team. In order to give Kevin some different competition in practice our beloved coach, the late-great, Jim Smith, would give me the unfortunate task of “wrestling” Kevin. In reality, it was mostly me trying to keep away from him during take-downs and then trying to get my face off the mat when Kevin started from the top-position.  As I recall Kevin was about 6’4” and 240 lbs. at that time. Not that big by today’s high school standards, but a really big guy back then. I have seen Kevin referred by many of you as a “gentle giant” – well that’s because you didn’t have to wrestle him or line-up across from him on a football field!

In football, Kevin and I were not only teammates. For the most part we played next to each other and practiced again, against each other. Kevin was a two-way tackle (offense and defense) and I was a two-way end. He was a fierce player whether in a game or on the practice field and it was my sincere honor to play alongside him on teams, that many of you will remember – were simply awful!  

As I reminisce about Kevin, and perhaps because I see so many familiar names in this post, sharing their sadness, I couldn’t help but think about 1970 juxtaposed against 2020 – and the times we are living in now versus those times.  There is never a good time to die, but now it is even worse because of the virus. We can’t share our grief at funerals or life celebrations as we usually would. So, my heart really goes out to Kevin’s family right now because of this.

I don’t want this to be too lengthy, but many of you will recall that 1970 was a difficult time as well.  Fifty years ago things were tumultuous, and uncertain. And like now, the country was deeply divided.  All of us remember the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and Kent State. Regardless of what side of the fence you were on then, or where you stand now, the most important thing to remember, is that if you’re reading this, then you’re still standing – just as our country is still standing. As individuals and as a nation we have survived and I firmly believe we will survive today’s pandemic as well. And as a result, become both stronger and better as people and as a nation.

I see names within this post of folks that I went all the way through school with – K-12. People who I haven’t seen since graduation in most cases. Yet I remember many of you and hope that life is good for you all.  You know, as you go through life, it’s said that certain people leave footprints across your heart. It is easy to see that even if Kevin had been much smaller in size, he still would have left “giant-sized” footprints across the hearts of those who truly knew and loved him. RIP Kevin and God Bless. And stay strong and safe, my old classmates. We’re Americans and this too shall one day be a just a memory of another challenge in our lives that we’ve overcome. God Bless.