St. Christopher's School Wrestling

I must take time out from talking about the world of wrestling according to me to talk about the bigger things out there: life, honor, and family.

I found out this week just how fragile life can be. On Tuesday, we learned that one of our 3Style wrestlers passed away at age 17- way too young! And Wednesday night, I received one of those phone calls no teacher wants to get with the US at war with Iraq and with the Taliban in Afghanistan: one of my former students from Massaponax was killed in action in Iraq. It's amazing how cruel life can be sometimes, with the loss of two outstanding young men.

I didn't know Stuart Slusher that well, other than the fact that he was a wrestler from Freeman HS. He was on our roster at 3Style and attended some practices. You hate to hear about any 17 year old losing their life, but when it is one of your wrestling family members, it hurts alittle more. I wish I could have been there to talk to Stuart and help him through his anger and pain. Nothing as a teenager should be so bad where you take your own life. All it leaves is questions that none of us can answer. What remains is guilt and dispair.

I am reminded of my freshman year in high school, twenty-two years ago,almost to the day. It was a Sunday night when I got the call. The captain of my wrestling team was dead, victim of a self inflicted gunshot. I was floored; it wasn't more than a week before when I last saw my captain, seemingly happy as always. What could have changed inless than two weeks? I'll never know. Not a day goes by when I don't think about him; I know that he is watching over me as a guardian angel.

That's all we can hope for. The pain is gone, but the scars will remain forever.

Ryan McGhee wasn't a wrestler, rather he excelled at football. He had a bum shoulder that popped out a lot. He played through pain without complaint. I remember one game where the only thing holding his arm in place from a dislocated shoulder was his shoulder pads. He never once complained about the pain; he just wanted to get better so he could get back into the game. He was a very good student, never taking the easy way out. Ryan knew the value of hard work and put plenty of time and effort into his studies. He could have gone to college right out of high school, but he decided to wait.

Ryan had a burning desire to serve his country in the military; one of his dreams was to be an Army Ranger. He did just that, serving four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. A natural leader, Ryan had recently been promoted to squad leader. And then in the blink of an eye, he's gone. During a fire fight in Iraq, he took a direct hit to the chest and died at age 21. Another victim of the seemingly senseless violence in a country far away from home. Ryan wasn't selfish; the many commendations he earned in his short military career meant little. They were nice pins for his dress uniform, but the honor of serving his country in the pursuit of freedom meant so much more to Ryan McGhee.

He was engaged to his high school sweetheart; they were going to marry next year. They were the cutest, happiest couple. Even though Ryan was out of the area much of the time while on active duty, he made sure to spend as much time as he could with his fiance. Despite the distance and the time apart, they made their relationship work. Ryan and Ashleigh truly personified the expression, "absence makes the heart grow fonder".

We should try not to grieve his loss, rather celebrate his life. I know that this will be difficult, because another young life was senselessly lost in a conflict far away from home that many of us do not believe our country should be involved in. There will be anger, tears, and more questions as we mourn the loss of Ryan, but I have to believe he would not want us to be sad. Ryan would want us to celebrate the triumphs of his life and remember him for the awesome guy he was. Yes, Ryan McGhee was a military hero, but he was a hero in his short life. Ryan was a hero in life for the great person he was. I feel horrible for his family and what they will have endure over the next few months and I pray that they are able to recover from this devastating loss.

No parent wants to bury their child. I ask that you pray for the Slusher and McGhee families and those directly affected by their losses. Let's hope they are able to recover and continue with their lives. Parents, embrace your children and hold them close to you for an extra moment or two. Let them know how much you love and care about them. Children, know that your parents love you and what they say and do reflects their love for you. They only wish the best for you. Don't ever doubt the love of a parent; no matter the circumstance never doubt unconditional love. Realize that our time on earth can be fleeting and make the most out of our lives.This is one of those moments where we must all realize that in the grand scheme of things, what we do in our lives can sometimes affect a community. We need to all come together to help those in their time of need.

God bless you all.