We first became aware of Tony Dungy and
the extraordinary regard people have for him several years ago and we made a
mental note of it: this is a guy who seems to inspire people far beyond a
football field.
Unusually for an NFL coach, he managed to
keep his family a priority, and everyone who knew his son James Dungy thought he
was a great kid, and his
apparent suicide has shocked everyone who knew him.
A lot more will come clear soon enough,
not that it's everyone's business. But his father is a prominent man, clearly
adored by many, and there will be an intense interest in what happened.
Many of us, too many, know someone who
has committed suicide or know someone affected by suicide. It's a
devastating experience all the way around.
Everyone who is close to the family just
seems bewildered, and we can't begin to imagine what his parents are going
through.
We only know Tony Dungy from what we have
read about him, but what people say about him suggests he is not an average
man. He'll need every strength he has to get himself and his family
through this, and we hope everyone will keep him in their thoughts and
prayers. What's happened to that family's heart this Christmas is
unspeakable.