Today, the BBQ celebrates a life. In fact, two remarkable lives.
Stefanie Spielman is a fighter. A bare knuckles brawler who fought the opponent of her life. She's not a professional athlete but she married one.
Stefanie died yesterday of breast cancer yesterday. She was just 42 years old.
She had a powerful man in her corner, her husband, Chris. Chris Spielman was a legendary linebacker for The Ohio State University Buckeyes. He went on to play professional football for the Detroit Lions, the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Browns. At one point during his pro football career, he stopped playing for a year to take care of Stefanie and their children. when she lost her hair due to chemotherapy, he shaved his head.
There are plenty of men who care for their spouses, who shave their heads, who leave their jobs when their wives are fighting cancer. I just happen to know about Chris because I'm a longtime fan.
The Spielman's raised millions of dollars for breast cancer research. Stefanie lost her battle but I'd bet that many other people are winning theirs due to the Spielman's generosity.
So, here's today's tip:
> Talk about the Spielman's and their contributions on and off the field.
> Read about Stefanie and her battle.
> Start here: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4672569
2 comments:
Great post. I remember Spielman from his days as a linebacker for the Lions. He was the consummate throwback player, driven by an old-school work ethic and remarkable sense of decency and class. I didn't know about his wife's illness and it's certainly a shame to hear about her passing.
Thanks for the comment, Steve. You nailed it; Chris Spielman is old-school to the core and that seems to include his values.
Thanks for stopping by the BBQ. Come back, ya hear?
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