in Pitt Football 283 Words

A Final Bit About Our Son…

One last post about Chance.

After his passing our family and his girlfriend went to the funeral home this Monday to do an identification (required) then to see him sent off on his way in a pretty cool Japanese style wooden box my wife chose for his cremation – which was his wish.

We followed the Hearse from the funeral home to the crematorium where we gathered again to say a final goodbye. Yesterday I picked up the lovely urn we had chosen with his remains in it – engraved with his names -and I knelt and presented it to my wife.

She cried, I cried… then all of a sudden my wife took a close look at it and said “They forgot ‘KOHBERGER‘ in the engraving!” No kidding, they actually did that. They got the ‘CHANCE REED TATSUO MANUOKALANI’ parts correctly but no last name. Even though his last name was in 16 different places on the contracts I signed (I counted) that slipped their notice.

You do kind of have to laugh about that… They are replacing it as we speak.

My thanks all of you who were with me and my family through this. It is with sadness but genuine relief also as we all move forward.

Ask yourself this – does this type of interaction and personal support happens on any other sports blog? I think not. But on The Pitt POV it was, is and will be truly in the nature of our readers and commenters to help out whenever and however they can.

For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart… and for being my true, in every meaning of the word, friends.

Reed

HTP!

71 thoughts on “A Final Bit About Our Son…”

  1. God Bless
    You practice what you preach and add much good to the world, far more than me.
    You deserve every bit of compassion and understanding that you get.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Reed, I wish I had your bravery and resolve in dealing with your sons death. I admire you greatly.
    I lost my dad 66 and my brother 53 to cancer. It’s an insidious disease.

    Peace

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Reed…I lost my dad to cancer at 63. Watched him for 3 years get ravaged by it…it was horrible.
    Your ability to share your inner-most feelings on this Blog at this time is amazing.
    All of your “Pitt POV family” are sharing in your pain.
    Much love, peace and many prayers for you, your wife & Chance.

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  5. Reed: Thanks for offering this window into what, despite your remarkable grace and equanimity, must be an incredibly trying time. The fact that you are sharing this most initmate of experiences with this group is a testament to you as a person and the community you’ve built here. Sending you and yours light and love.

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  6. Reed,
    You have shared the love of your family through joys and intense grief in a way that has touched all of us.

    May your family be blessed with knowing Chance is with you always.

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  7. Outstanding story, thank you for sharing Reed. Blessings, Peace to you and your family, and to your son in his final rest.

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  10. Not even sure what to say here, except Godspeed Chance; and may the rest of you and your family’s path forward be blessed.

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  11. Reed, I do not know you personally and never met your son, but I feel safe in saying that Chance’s spirit will always be with you and watch over you and your family; and I also know that your spirit on this earth will continue to shine and lighten the lives of us POVers and many many others. God bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. We have said blessings for you at our synagogue in NYC. ( Long way from East Liberty). May your son’s memory be a blessing. Thank you and POV for bringing us happiness year after year.

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  14. Reed, the deepest love possible shines through your words. Your son can now bask in God’s glorious Heaven.

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  15. Reed, I’m numb, sitting here at this keyboard for the past half-hour, I realize I have no words, only prayers. God Bless you and your family. Your wife is a special Lady.

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  17. Reed, I echo everything that was said above. I feel incredibly blessed that you shared this difficult time with us. God bless you and your family, and know that I will keep all of you in my prayers.

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  18. Reed, it’s hard to find words that adequately express our heartfelt sadness for the loss of your son. Take heart that he is in a better place and will be with you always..

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  19. Reed, you have provided all of us with a beautiful example of how to celebrate the life of a loved one gone from us but never forgotten. Thank you.

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  20. Reed — You are a kind, thoughtful, giving person. I imagine Chance shared these same qualities with his father. The world has lost a good man.

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  21. There is certainly nothing I could add to what has already been posted above. I second all those thoughts and god bless you and your family for having to experience this ordeal.

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  23. Reed I am sorry for your loss. We went through a similar incident with the funeral home in Butler. If you need anything reach out please.

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  24. Reed, I pray that memories of Chance comfort you and your family until you see him again.

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  25. Reed, when I read your POV notification that your son had died, it affected me with such heaviness that it took three days for me to even mention the reason for my melancholy to my wife. Undoubtedly, a reason for this impact is the connection we POVers feel to you. Why that is, I don’t fully know, but the fact that I feel that I need to continue to think deeply about this, says a lot about the esteem and respect we have for you.

    Liked by 3 people

  26. Thanks to all.

    Now…What the hell is going on with Pitt BB?

    I get totally distracted for a few weeks and then return to find we win three ACC games in a row with a rather convincing win over NC???

    I’ll try to watch the GT game tomorrow night but something feels off🤨

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Reed, from how these guys played at the beginning of the year to how they have played for the last three games is nothing short of miraculous. Horton has made a huge difference, but the team had been improving even before he came back. I think much of it had to do with the fact that none of these guys had played together before. Certainly starting the year without Horton and Sibande and with Burton injured was a major setback. The improvment shown by Burton and Gueye along with the growth of Hugley’s abilities from day one till now are pretty incredible. Odukale has also improved as a point guard. Guys know what their roles are and are producing results. The unselfishness of the team is palpable.

      Defense has gotten much stronger and ball movement has improved immensely. Horton’s return seems to have improved overall shooting confidence. Foul shots that were missed are now being made.

      They need a win on Saturday because it is doubtful they will get an upset in the final three, but this mini hot streak has been fun and most unexpected, and does give a modicum of hope for the future

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Commander – sorry that I’m late to post. Chance, you, your wife, your family have been on my mind. You have shown all of us here and I’m sure all others you encounter that you truly understand what is good: to carry out justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly. Your son led a special life. Your family and you continue to honor that life in deep and meaningful (and unintentionally ironic) ways that few of us could hope to but should strive to emulate.

    And that is why the POV is a special place. If I may gently correct you, this is NOT a sports blog. This is where friends – new and old – gather based on a common interest to laugh, cry, complain, cheer, and, ultimately, love one another in the deepest sense of that word (think a gender neutral Damon and Pythias). You have created and nurtured that by word and deed, on the blog and off. For that you have our unending gratitude.

    To Chance – his life and deeds are his memorial.

    H2P!!!

    Liked by 6 people

  28. Reed,
    I can’t imagine the pain that you’re going through. You have my condolences. Beyond that, I wish for you to have the strength to continue living your best life.

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  29. someone commented on the PFF FB page regarding Capel – “He has definitely overachieved”

    OMG, WHAT???

    nice, fun to watch, big upset game but “overachieved”?!?!?!?!

    yeah, so then extend him at 6M per year you $%#*!

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    1. That is certainly hyperbolic, but he may be showing the doubters that he can coach a little better than they thought when he has enough decent players.

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  30. As I anxiously await meeting Fran, Scooter and other Pitt fans at Hemingways before the GT game tomorrow, (I expect to be at our usual back room tables by 4 pm for those wanting to join us), I started to think about next season’s football tailgates. Our magical season last fall was even more fortunate than the outcome of the games. If I remember correctly, we did not have a single game conflict with a Pirate home game. We are not nearly so fortunate this coming season.

    Both the Tennessee game on September 10th and the Rhode Island game on September 24th have Pirate home games scheduled for 6:35 pm. That all but guarantees that those two games will be 12 noon kickoffs. I was really hopeful that the Tennessee game would be a primetime game for both TV and quality tailgating. Starting tailgates at 7 AM is pretty brutal. Sucks, but we’ll power through it.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. Another reason every other year schedule flip that is front loaded. The early games have all the conflicts.
      I bet you the ACC eliminates divisions, and we will get 2 years in a row of early games.
      I mean how good is playing golf, drinking in front of a fire on Friday with Rick and Fran and then seeing them the next day at the tailgate.
      or
      Partying with Rick and then going to watch them win the Coastal and having Thanksgiving in 5 days.
      Way better

      Liked by 3 people

  31. The WVU is our prime time guarantee because of the Thursday night kickoff. It will be interesting to see how the TV networks split the time because PSU will also kickoff their season on Thursday night also.
    Chris Peak made an interesting suggestion in his 3-2-1 column today. Sand that is that Pitt should really consider retiring the AD jersey number 87 on that same night with the nation tuned in for the WVU game. I second that thought.

    Liked by 4 people

  32. Reed, my whole heart goes out to you. I just cannot imagine the pain that goes into these things although I am clinical social worker.
    I have a age 13 boy and would never get over him dead. I’d try but it’s such a talk order.
    But you seem to perhaps know more about life-and-than me.
    You are a stand-up guy. You are loving and brave. So I must give you a serious hat-tip for your courage and your understanding of life; tomorrow is know promise to any of us.
    You’re standing up to this like a true man should and would. I hope I can muster it as well as you when a point of this matter intrudes my life.
    For bless you, brother

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  33. FYI, for the hoop game tomorrow Pitt is wearing black unis and the request is to wear black to the game.
    Sigh, guess how muck black Pitt gear I own?
    Guess I’ll buy a black Pitt hat layer a Steeler sweatshirt, Penguin gloves and a Pirate jacket…going FULL YINZER baby!!

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Baseball HC Mike Bell was a longtime assistant pitching coach for FSU.

      Another Pitt hire with no head coaching experience.

      Giving up 11 runs to Canisius – Hmmm 🤔

      The bats were quiet as well – 2 hits through 5 innings.

      Hope this loss lights a fire somewhere in the Pitt dugout.

      Next up – Canisius – without looking up the answer online, what state is Canisius located?

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  35. Our basketball season started out with a loss to The Citadel and now our baseball team gets blasted by Canisius. Stange doings in Pittlandia. Canisius is located in Buffalo and I think it has less than 4,000 students. So in basketball and baseball, we open with the theme of The bigger they are the harder they fall. Only one game, but based on last year’s mediocre baseball team the jury is out for 2022

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    1. 👍🏼 So much for the theory that northern schools can’t be competitive in baseball.

      I agree it is just one game – bad look – especially when only two starters from last season graduated.

      The boys from Buffalo had more snow so far this season so the indoor conditioning program must be better than Pitt’s.

      The Canisius pitching coach is in his first season and was the former D2 pitching coach at Shippensburg – his starting pitcher held Pitt’s veteran line-up to 2 hits thru 5 innings.

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  36. Farmers, I still have my black hoodie from when I was a practicing Druid…got it from a street vendor at Stonehenge.
    I’ll wear that…

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Why does he need a contract extension now? I don’t know about you but I’d like to see play a season without Pickett at QB and evaluate his contract situation then.
      Playing a season with Beville at QB might have most on the POD looking to having him replaced as HC.

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      1. Wait what? Beville at QB? POD?
        So Narduzzi proves he can win when they have enough good players and that’s a problem?
        Pitt won the ACC, a near miracle and you don’t expect Narduzzi to be compensated?
        He’s the blame when they lose but no credit when they win?

        Liked by 2 people

        1. I don’t get the jealousy over what guys get paid. Look at baseball players. They all get paid stupid money.
          As long as you are not the one footing the bill why does it matter?
          Would it really be in Pitt’s interest to lose Narduzzi over money when they can easily afford it.
          Remember Jackie Sherrill.

          Liked by 2 people

            1. Well what would you call it when guys incessantly complain about what someone is paid?
              That is why in the work a day world salaries are confidential.

              Liked by 1 person

              1. When Wanny was giving Pitt a home town discount I don’t remember guys complaining that he wasn’t paid enough.

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  39. Let’s see now, when HL was hired by a committee at Pitt, Duzz was a part of the process and thus is technically Heather’s boss.

    So who gives the Duzz an extension or evaluation.

    Maybe the “eggheads” at Pitt are just trying to figure this all out before all the finger pointing. (Which came first, the chick(en) or the egg?).

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  45. Hoping that the Zoo shows up big time tonight. They were about a third of whst used to be normal for NCST.
    UNC’s crowd was crazy on Wednesday, like to see Pitt have some of that noise.

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  46. Pitt baseball playing much better so far today. Up 4-0 in the 4th with our starting pitcher throwing a no hitter.

    Go Pitt!

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  47. Pitt winning 12-0 through 5. Now that’s better.

    Lady Panthers beat a better than average Sienna team last night in Lacrosse.

    It would be terrific to see us win our 4th in a row tonight at The Pete.

    Liked by 1 person

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