LSU athletes sometimes more than a role model...

There may not be many of you out there that have experienced some of the things that I have with some of the athletes at LSU, so let me tell my story. . .

During high school I had a very successful football, baseball and wrestling career. Beginning my junior year of high school I began receiving interests from various colleges wanting me to become a part of their team. The interests ranged from me playing defensive back in football to playing 3rd base / infield in baseball.

After the whole recruiting process, I decided to attend Louisiana State University and play baseball. I did not accept an athletic scholarship, but did accept an academic scholarship instead due to the amount of money offered. I was hesitant to choose LSU at first because of the size of the school and the prestige of the athletic programs. I kept telling myself that I would get "lost in the system" and be forgotten. That thought made me think of going to a smaller school to perhaps have more playing time or have an easier transition into the college life.

Today I am glad I chose LSU. The reasons why I am glad today is not what most people would assume. My athletic career was very short-lived at LSU. After my first semester, during which I was serving a redshirt season I was diagnosed with cancer.

Years later I have now graduated from LSU, but in the process I made lifelong friends. If it were not for these friends and their support during my time of need, my journey would have been much more difficult.

Not very many people get to see the softer side to many of the athletes that grace the campus of LSU. For me, I was blessed to be around such a great group of guys and girls that kept my spirits high. Everyone hears how athletes are role models and heroes for them, well for me they were more than that.

This story of mine that I just told is a very short version. I wrote this just to give an inside look at some of the things that go unspoken for. Still to this day there are those athletes that push me to be the best I can be in life and I am very thankful for that.

This is why I am glad that I chose LSU over the other schools. LSU is my life and the athletes are my family. They are all the brothers and sisters I never had.

I just wish I could express my sincere thanks to these guys for what they did for me and what some of the current athletes are doing for me. They were able to live the dream that always had.

I would like to lastly leave yall with something I wrote about a very dear friend of mine that I made during my first semester at LSU. I believe you all will know who I am talking about. I miss him dearly.

Here it is:
Tears flow from my eyes as I write this. . . It has taken a while for me to be able to express my heart- felt feelings like this. I have never told anyone how I felt about Wally's death until now. I totally broke into tears and was devastated when I heard about his death. Since then I have been angry with myself. I hurt so bad inside at this very moment because I miss Wally so bad. There are things I always wanted to tell him, but never was able to. I have moved back to my home town now and miss my LSU family. Wally meant a lot to me and I always hoped I could be as good as he was in so many things. I never had an opportunity to meet his family, but I would love to be able to meet and talk to them one day. Wally signed a baseball for me about a week before he died. He wrote, "Michael, Thanks for being not only a fan of mine, but a fan of baseball as well. All my best in life! Wally Pontiff" The last two days have been very difficult for me. I have been thinking of Wally a lot. There has not been anyone throughout my life that has such a significant impact as Wally has had on me. It has almost been two years and I am just now being able to talk about this. No one knows, except for Wally, what the game of baseball and LSU means to me. Wally, you bring out the best in me. It would be a great honor for me to be able to name my son after you. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone that reads this to please contact me. I would love to talk.

Athletes are sometimes more than just someone playing a sport, sometimes more than a role model, sometimes more than a hero...sometimes they are just a simple friend.

ldskule:

 

well stated. hope you are well.


the entire LSU family will be forever hurt by the loss of Wally Pontiff yet will be forever blessed that such a great person touched our lives. Even if the time was cut way too short.

We miss you Wally!

 

Thanks for your reply and thanks for reading. It means a lot to know that there are such supportive members of the LSU family out there.

 

My prayers are with you. LSU gives us all something to be happy about. Hope that you are well.

 

I am doing better now. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgskin's Lymphoma. The after effects of the treatments give me a surprise each day, but all in all I am doing good.

 

Glad to hear you are doing well.

 

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I miss him dearly as well. He was so much more than a great baseball player. Thank you for the post.

I have a friend that was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2001. She was 17 and therefore able to undergo most of her treatments at St. Jude’s in Memphis. She is now a cancer survivor and I wish the same for you. Good luck.

 

Thanks for sharing that with us. Good luck.

 

That post was simply outstanding and to echo the sentiments of Wally, I wish you all of the best in life.

Thanks for sharing it with us, your "LSU Fan Family".

 

Wally was a big part of my recovery, but there were many other athletes that stood and delivered without even asking. One of those was current LSU Tiger, Derek Hebert and his family.