As children are growing up, many of them find a popular athlete or celebrity they idolize. When they become teenagers, they tend to worship their role models and try to copy them in any way that they can.
To parents, role models are just a random person that their child will never actually meet but to the child, it is an emotional attachment to someone that they have grown to love and admire.
What happens when the child’s role model dies unexpectedly?
“Sam Foltz, UNL’s punter, was killed in a car crash this summer, and it was really upsetting for me to hear about the death of someone that I watch all season,” says senior Natalie Brodine, “The first game after his death, they only lined up 10 men on the first punt and took the penalty for him. The whole stadium was in tears, and it was really hard to watch but touching at the same time.”
Foltz’s death was a tragic accident. His friend, Michigan State punter Mikel Sadler, was driving at the time, and they lost control of the car. Both men were killed July 23, 2016.
It can be hard to deal with the aftermath of the death of role models, especially considering that a vast majority of the deaths occur because the role model in question was being careless and making rash decisions.
“Robin Williams‘ death really affected me since I grew up watching his movies,” says junior Mason Loy. “He always made me laugh and he was always one of my role models. He was a huge inspiration to young people all over, and it was tragic that the world lost someone like him.”
Williams suffered from major depression and eventually committed suicide on August 11, 2014. He chose a permanent solution to a temporary problem, and his hasty decision hurt the people closest to him, as well as his large fan base.
“I loved Whitney Houston; it was hard not to. She was everything that you wanted to be; she was beautiful, she could sing like no one ever had, and she wasn’t afraid to be her own person, you felt connected to her even though you didn’t know her,” says senior Emily Russell, “I was 14 when I heard about her death, and it was very sad. The whole world felt like it was missing a piece. She was a living legend and I’m sad that she’s gone, but she has left a powerful legacy behind her.”
Houston died February 11, 2012. Her cause of death was drowning with the effects of heart disease and cocaine use. Her death was labeled an accident, but it can be argued that she would still be here today if she wouldn’t have abused drugs.
Personally, I struggled with the recent death of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. When I first heard the news, I was in total shock. He played baseball with so much passion and was always smiling, it was hard to believe that someone with so much talent and so full of life was truly gone. I always thought that he was an admirable person because he fought so hard for his freedom. He finally defected to the United States from Cuba after three failed attempts, and he was living out his dream; he made everyone feel like they could achieve anything if they put their mind to it. He was killed in a boating accident after being warned by multiple people to not go out onto the water that late at night. It is heartbreaking to know that his life could have been spared if he would have listened to that advice.
Whether or not the role model was someone worthy of that title, it is never easy to experience the death of someone that you admire. Just try to remember the legacy that they are leaving behind, celebrate their life, and find a reason to smile for them.