in Pitt Football 270 Words

Thank You All…

It has been over four months since our son, Chance, was diagnosed with small cell cancer and now three weeks since his death. During those time periods the POV family was not just a caring group but offered me and my family written and personal support and advice to help with all of that.

It was you folks who were a main reason that his death has been bearable. I’m doing well as can be expected, even better maybe, as is my wife and daughter, and I truly believe that this road of grieving we have to walk is less rocky because of your help.

We will never forget Chance. That is obvious as he was and still is strongly loved. But we are getting to the point where we can bring up and share our good and great memories of him, not just those thoughts of the suffering and pain filled son we loved and cared for until he passed over, in our home and in our arms.

May I ask that you please give yourselves the credit due for all you have done to get me to this point – to be able handle his passing with an eye to the future and with what I hope is at least a semblance of strength and grace? Because you surely deserve all that credit…

From the bottom of my heart I assure you we Kohbergers will never forget your kindnesses and your help. In a strange way, because I have never actually met most of you who reached out, it made your concern for us even more appreciated.

Reed

49 thoughts on “Thank You All…”

  1. I only support Pitt sports programs that consistently produce success like soccer and volleyball. However I would much welcome the chance to support a scholarship program named after your son. That way his memory lives on forever in the POV world.

    Heartfelt support to you, your wife and daughter.

    Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. – Andy Dufresne, The Shawshank Redemption.

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  3. Reed, I don’t know you personally, but I know the pain from the loss of family and friends at far too young of an age from cancer. The outpouring of condolences for you and your family over the loss of your son is a reflection of the good you have done in this world and a life well lived by your son.

    Liked by 5 people

  4. Reed, most of your life you have given, whether it was in your service to our country, helping veterans (like you tried to help my own brother) the POV and all your other endeavors helping others with you have succeeded in. You may ask, WHY me, WHY my family WHY our Son? Questions without answers or at least answers we all can find as we live out our lives.

    Without any doubts you and your family have dealt with this terrible tragedy with the class you are known for. Here is hoping all your answers on the journey down rocky road come through God, Healing and Time… and friends. Peace be with you and the entire Kohberger family.

    Liked by 11 people

    1. Ike, we’ll said and Reed you are a model to us all. Grief comes to all of us a some point and some times in droves.

      You are a friend, a classy guy and a server for America.

      Well done!

      Liked by 5 people

  5. Again, you guys know just the right thing to say…

    And let’s be honest. The above spares my writing about 30 additional “Thank You” cards to go with the 33 I already mailed!

    Now, back to sports…

    Liked by 6 people

  6. OT – Pitt baseball’s bats are hot today and supporting a fine pitching performance in the 4th inning up 5-0 over Campbell U.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. FWIW, nothing is more important than family, not even close. But even though I don’t know anyone here personally, I do feel a kinship and even enjoy the write-ups of the get-togethers (tailgates, golf tourneys, etc)

    I also feel saddened for personal losses and illnesses — certainly not as much as if I knew you personally — but I really do. I also think we retirees with more time on our hands than before are grateful for this blog.

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 5 people

  8. Wbb, I help teach a Veterans Memoir Writing class and told them that getting works published is all well and good but to do a blog, with veterans stories and writings, would be just as, if not more exciting.

    When I explained the POV to the class and mentioned how many readers we get they were skeptical. But when I described all the personal stories and the friendships we have on here a couple of guys asked if I could stay after class and show it to them.

    They were sold on the idea and why not! It’s great fun but also an important part of a lot of reader’s lives.

    I know we have said this before – how different and special this is, but all one has to do is read some of the off the beaten track articles and the comments to know that our readers/commenters are pretty damn smart and very interesting.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. You got that right!

      I just ate a break from time to time due to Mrs. Erie’s health challenges.

      I enjoy coming back a reading Huff, Ike, wwb, Major Major, Michaelangelo, Gordon, BigB, JoeL Kman and Lastrow.

      Sorry if I left anyone out…

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  9. Pitt softball beat previously undefeated #3 Florida State 7-5 today at FLST. A redshirt freshman pitched the entire game. Nicely done ladies!

    Liked by 5 people

    1. That pitcher is good. Needs to pitch every game cause Pitt ain’t got any other good pitchers.

      Sad but true.

      Thanks Annie!

      Liked by 2 people

  10. Pitt baseball up 11-5 in the top of the 7th. Starter Corcoran with 1 earned run on 69 pitches. An error accounted for 4 unearned runs.

    Liked by 2 people

  11. Sad news about a former Pitt athlete. Monica Wignot died in a car accident Friday night —she was only 29.

    Monica played four years of volleyball at Pitt ( she was on Dan Fisher’s first team at Pitt) then played one season of basketball. That was in 2015, the last time the women went to the NCAA tourney.

    She was from Wilkes Barre. So young.

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  12. Reed, your grief for Chance will never go away, but the memories of how wonderful he was will also never cease, In another 7 weeks the anniversary of my wife’s death caused by Alzheimer’s will be reached on the calendar. Although it will be 3 years since her passing the memories of our 51 year marriage always stay fresh in my mind. As time goes on Reed you will NOT lose your memories or love of Chance and you will feel the presence of G-d in your life as Chance has gone on to a better place.

    Liked by 8 people

  13. Three Pitt wrestlers crowned ACC champions. Mickey with his lack of offense lost in the championship match.

    Three of four for Pitt tonight. Good showing for an 8-6 team.

    H2P!

    Liked by 3 people

  17. I wonder if Capel, who was down and out before spending 7 seasons as assistant to Coach K, has a similar view of his own assistants that he will keep them as long as it takes until they get head coaching jobs. Given the last 4 years’ performance, that could be a long time coming. It is long past time for Capel to shake up the staff and bring in some new blood that can motivate the players particularly in the later part of the season when the losses mount up. Maybe there is a top assistant out there who can come in and improve things, and then be a candidate to replace Capel if/when he gets the boot.

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    1. The staff is not Capel’s problem he’s the problem. His inability to bring in a quality point guard in all his time at Pitt is reason enough to bid him adieu.

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  18. This is a place “where everybody knows your handle” (almost like Cheers)! The collective works. Friendships forged here are real. When one hurts, we all hurt. When one celebrates, we all celebrate. When Pitt wins, we question if it can happen again. When Pitt loses, we know it will happen again and each of us tries to fix it, make it better.

    When loss happens within our collective, we grieve as a collective. A collective that started as relative strangers, bonding and supporting each other in times of need and in times of celebration. I am glad that you and your family lean into this broad cast of characters for strength. We pray, we laugh, we poke, we support each other. Use it as you need it Reed. Celebrate Chance!

    Liked by 11 people

  19. Reed

    I wish that I had met Chance somewhere along the way. The obituary you posted said a lot and he left his mark on the world. Love the pic with the cat.

    My best to you and your family and all of the people whose lives Chance touched.

    pmdH2P

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Little Wake. isn’t quite as little…They have gone from 5000 students to 7000 students… More money in bigger numbers!

      They are returning a lot of guys this year… They should have a good year.

      Beautiful campus… My wife and I toured it when we played them in Winston Salem a couple of years ago! Several of my lawyer buddies graduated from Wake Forest

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Enrollment increased from 5000 to 7000 at Wake… more bodies … more money on top of money…

          Beautiful campus in Winston- Salem…. original Wake Forest U is just east of Raleigh. They return a lot of players and Clawson is a very solid coach!!!

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      2. The Wake Forest football team may still be under special mental health treatment and still in shock after the complete destruction they suffered at the hands of PITT!

        Liked by 2 people

        2. And the numbers say …Treatment is working per WF’s destruction of Rutgers in their follow- up bowl game:

          WF 38- Rutgers 10

          Sam Hartman vs Rutgers (3 TDs; 0 INTs) versus Pitt game (2 TDs; 4 INts)

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  21. Interesting internet tidbit I saw on the Lair:

    “Right now, there are 10,965 student-athletes on scholarship at Division I football programs. With an average scholarship price tag of $18,273 per year, DI schools shell out a whopping $200 million in football scholarships annually.”

    I guess this puts the number of players hitting the portal into some perspective…

    Go Pitt.

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  22. Jordan Lockwood, who entered the portal a while ago, finally found a new home. She will be playing at the University of Denver her last year of eligibility. As a 6’2″ outside hitter with lots of experience at a high level of volleyball I was surprised how long it took her to find a landing spot. I wonder if she was promised a spot at some other P5 school and it fell through at the last minute.

    Lots of changes in the ACC women’s volleyball landscape this offseason as well as at the school to the east in the country north of Altoona PA. Pitt is the new power in Pennsylvania in women’s volleyball!

    Liked by 1 person

  23. I got a strange phone call this afternoon from someone claiming to be BigB. I was skeptical until he said I had to switch my political alliance with one party to the other political party…then I was sure it was BigB!!

    Thanks for the call my friend…but you must know that won’t happen!

    P/S: Owner/Editor’s prerogative to mention politics sometimes.🖖

    Liked by 1 person

  24. According to my calculations Capel has about 6 weeks to sign transfers for eligibility next season. Given that next year could be do or die for his coaching career at Pitt, these coming weeks are pretty important.

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  25. Hugley will stay because Capel’s only recruit is his best bud from HS and a very good player but if Hugley transfers, the #89 recruit will go with him …. And the whole Pitt team. Then Capel is toast.

    Thus you now, for the first time in 4 years see pics of him at HS basketball games. What in the h-ll has his staff been doing for 4 years?

    Just like at Oklahoma, when he lost Blake Griffen, he had no incoming recruits and showed himself to be a mediocre floor coach. They fired him mid- season for that! The alums hated him even worse than now.

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    1. I don’t think it’s fair to say they haven’t put effort into recruiting. I remember after they won at MSG, they asked Coach O’Toole if he was going out to celebrate. He said no, he was going out recruiting…

      Anyway, seems to me the problem is that they have continued to shoot too high – going for top-100 recruits with a ton of high-level competition for them.

      Maybe they go after only elite players because they can’t teach and coach the type of players we can attract… 🤔

      My $0.02

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 2 people

  28. Chances///slim to none. Why would he transfer to one of the worst basketball teams anywhere when he has offers from far superior programs?. Heather, we are a dumpster fire and you are going to need $$ to bail us out of the sewer.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Anyone here that wants to volunteer to turn out the lights on the Pitt BB season today please step forward. I think you will be getting the chance to do so at about 4pm today.

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  30. Reed, Bless you and your family. You and your family experience the greatest grief that parents and families can but you keep facing it and dealing with it and moving forward while showing and teaching others how to do it. Forget all the high minded rhetoric about what the world needs. It needs more Reeds and families like yours. All the best to all of you and special blessings to your son Chance.

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