A lesson from Chris Henry

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry died early this morning from injuries suffered after falling from his fiancee’s truck bed. Apparently Henry and Loleini Tonga had been having a domestic dispute prior. The sports journalists will cover the details of this tragedy similar to how they did when Steve McNair was murdered on July 4, 2009 by his mistress. But for our purposes I’m more saddened than anything because Henry was 26, had been injured for 5-weeks and was probably beginning to appreciate an NFL career that was in jeopardy.

And I wonder if Henry, in recent weeks, was concerned about his career statistics and game logs. I can’t help but surmise that when you suffer an injury as he did breaking his forearm several weeks ago that you contemplate losing something you love. It’s a menacing thought that keeps you awake and drives peace far from you. Then the epiphany surfaces and inverts all that you treasure as an athlete – the money, iconic status and perhaps even the feeling of invincibility.The revelation that life is bigger…becomes tangible.

I admit I didn’t know who Chris Henry was before today. He played football for the Bengals who drafted “Ochocinco” (Chad Johnson) of all people. They also employ former USC Trojans Carson Palmer and Rey Maualuga. But when a player meets his end at 26 years old, you suddenly want to know everything about him. Did he perceive that life was bigger than himself? It’s not a criticism. Death is serious business and I was shocked to find of his. I can only imagine that the loss of a teammate is harrowing because it all usually happens so fast. But if there’s something to be learned here, perhaps it’s a heightened sense of our mortality. Even our heroes are vulnerable to death as the Roman poet Horace uttered these words: “Pale death knocks with impartial foot at poor men’s hovels and king’s palaces.” My hope is that people would stop flirting with inevitable eternity and apply further study to the subject.