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A tough read for me. TX high school football tragedy

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    A tough read for me. TX high school football tragedy

    I was on the field this day about 75 yards from where Clay was struck. I was one of the ones that ran to the coaches office to call 911. This brought tears to my eyes reading and emotions I haven’t felt In many years. It’s a long read but I think it will touch many of you that have been involved in small town sports and especially ones that involved some sort of tragedy. I am still terrified of lightning to this day.

    Clay Jones was 16, playing junior varsity for Forney High, when he was hit by lightning at practice. His story would change Texas high school football forever.

    #2
    Man that's rough.

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      #3
      Dang

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        #4
        I remember.

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          #5
          Dang Man, tough read.

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            #6
            That put a lump in my throat.

            Sent from my SM-T827V using Tapatalk

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              #7
              Sounds like Clay was a wonderful young man and was able to do so much for others, even after his passing. Thanks for sharing

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                #8
                That was a hard read. Thanks for sharing and thanks for keeping his memory alive

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                  #9
                  I was a hs coach outside Houston when that happened, I remember it like yesterday. Clay's death changed the way we treat lightning and sports in Texas, no telling how many lives have been saved as a result. Thanks fo sharing op.

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                    #10
                    Tragic

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                      #11
                      I remember when that happened, I was in junior high. That sort of event will have a lasting effect on any person involved.

                      The year before, our varsity team had a game called because lightning struck one of the light poles in the stadium they were playing at. I can remember older people going to their vehicles right before it happened. It seems like they were the only ones paying attention to the weather.

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                        #12
                        BeetleGuy -

                        My wife is the president of the Forney TX "Metro East Softball Organization" and has responsibility over the safety of all of the young ladies that play on the MESA softball fields.

                        I can't recount how many times Michelle has come home, fuming over some parent that had become "outraged" at the announcement of lightening in the area, causing a game stoppage.

                        VERY often (and IMHO too often....thus why I'm never there) the can become belligerent, and attacking, when the teams are asked to clear the fields until the lightening delay has ended.

                        My daughter was a Forney Jackrabbit from pre-school through graduation, and we parents vividly remember this tragedy, and also gave undivided support to the FISD, as it set early precedent of lightening emergency action, with it's staunch support of early lightening warning technology, and the frightening announcement of "clearing the stadium".

                        Personally, I am awed by the parents that are willing to risk the lives of their babies, because they might miss an early bed time, bath time, or they have homework and declare that a delay from a lightening bolt, that was 8 miles away, "shouldn't stop" a game.

                        I have always thought about the impact on that football team, and how that must have shaped the conscious of so many young men, on how fleeting life can be.

                        I want you to know that you are a hero....just for surviving the experience. You may not think you are, but everyone of you men that were standing on that field have had to carry the burden of losing a team mate.

                        Kudo's to you, and for sharing this story again. It is such an important message.

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                          #13
                          BeetleGuy that is a tough read for anyone - I can't imagine what it must be like for you. The same thing happened in my dad's hometown of Grapeland in 2004. One dead and around 30 hospitalized. If I remember correctly they had a hand-held lightning meter there at the time and it registered nothing. Lenny your comments are spot-on. I was safety officer for our Little League organization when my boys were playing. Every time I cleared the fields due to weather I could count on getting a butt-chewing from somebody....

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                            #14
                            I grew up playing sports and the day it happened was similar to hundreds of days I spent practicing, playing outside or playing games. There were showers in the area but nothing crazy. No sign of storms that could be seen. Just some clouds in the distance. It bothers me so much that my initial feeling was of joy that practice was over. I was with the linebackers going threw shuffle drills with coach Rush that was mentioned in the article. The bolt knocked us to the ground. I’m not certain it was the sound or the actual electricity that did it. We were the closest to the field house so we started running and when we turned around our joy turned to terror when I saw Coach Turner doing chest compressions on Clay. Several of us ran to the coaches office and called 911. I remember watching the careflight helicopter landing and taking clay away.
                            Last edited by The Insurance Guy; 08-08-2018, 03:45 PM. Reason: .

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                              #15
                              Wow. Tough read, Cale. I can't imagine the emotions this article must bring back for you. Thanks for sharing the story, though.
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