10 years ago today Flight 5191 crashed shortly after takeoff here in Lexington. Two of the 49 who died in that crash was one of my former players, Jon Hooker, and his bride of less than 12 hrs, Scarlet Parsley Hooker. Jon loved his family, loved baseball, loved being a Wildcat and loved his teammates. Jon was a good pitcher with a devastating split finger fastball, but the thing I will always remember about Jon is that he “loved well.” At his wedding reception the night before the crash he gave me a big bear hug and said, “Coach, I love you. Thanks for coming. Let’s talk when I get back from my honeymoon.” Yes, Jon loved well.
At the end of our journey, what will be said about us? “He won a thousand games,” “He earned millions of dollars,” “He left his wife with a 5,000 square foot house.” No, let it be said of us, “He loved well.”
Love God, love people.
