So I was presenting at a school in Cincinnati today and the teacher is talking to his class beforehand. He explains how I’ll tell my story and that I’ll answer questions afterwards.

After all that, he says “Brad is one of my two favorite speakers..... the only two that actually matter,” and I’m instantly thinking “ok, who’s the other?”

He mentions how Chris Henry’s Mom comes in and talks about how Chris donated his organs.

Awesome move by Chris and I was BEYOND honored to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Chris!

Big props to Slim for saving lives by donating his organs!

His loss was a stupid, tragic story. By stupid, well, we know how he died. Such a talented kid who just made a few bad decisions. One costing his life. Was a big fan of his even though on the old board, he got some flack and so did Brown for bringing him back. But I think most of us were hoping for the best and at first, he seemed to have started maturing. Yet, kids make kid decisions. So, so sad.

A larger contribution would have been making a difference in troubled kids lives and showing that you can turn it around. Trust me, I'm not bashing him. He was just a kid. It was just a tragic end to what could have been a greater story. However I'm glad something positive came of his loss because it hurt a lot of us.

(04-16-2018, 03:15 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: His loss was a stupid, tragic story. By stupid, well, we know how he died. Such a talented kid who just made a few bad decisions. One costing his life. Was a big fan of his even though on the old board, he got some flack and so did Brown for bringing him back. But I think most of us were hoping for the best and at first, he seemed to have started maturing. Yet, kids make kid decisions. So, so sad.

A larger contribution would have been making a difference in troubled kids lives and showing that you can turn it around. Trust me, I'm not bashing him. He was just a kid. It was just a tragic end to what could have been a greater story. However I'm glad something positive came of his loss because it hurt a lot of us.

Well said! 

(04-16-2018, 03:05 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: So I was presenting at a school in Cincinnati today and the teacher is talking to his class beforehand. He explains how I’ll tell my story and that I’ll answer questions afterwards.

After all that, he says “Brad is one of my two favorite speakers..... the only two that actually matter,” and I’m instantly thinking “ok, who’s the other?”

He mentions how Chris Henry’s Mom comes in and talks about how Chris donated his organs.

Awesome move by Chris and I was BEYOND honored to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Chris!

Big props to Slim for saving lives by donating his organs!

Thats pretty awesome man!

(04-16-2018, 04:19 PM)pdub2005 Wrote: Thats pretty awesome man!

Followed him at West Virginia and in high school he is my favorite bengals because of the fact it finally did click and he was starting to turn it around. I felt he was apart of the bengals family. So sad. He’s the 15 in my name and my favorite bengal. Miss the guy. RIP

Didn't they examine Henry's brain and discover CTE? I'm just saying..maybe that explains a lot of his behavior.

There's so many similar stories about guys having sudden changes in behavior (Seau, Titus Young, JK Schaffer, Brian Price, Cullen Finnerty, etc).

You might get a back page story on these guys, then it gets swept under the rug. No one wants to talk about the elephant in the room. Football is too popular.

Btw, congrats Brad. Always nice to hear you doing positive things.

Good job Brad, and thanks to you 15 ! Rest easy

Someone asked what I speak on, so I figured I'd mention it in here for anyone wondering (I think most people know).

I don't actually speak much because I suffered a traumatic brain injury when I was 15 and my best friend got drunk and drove us into a tree in the cemetery. My presentation is on PowerPoint and I answer questions afterwards with a little computer that talks when I type into it.

See more on my website at https://www.bradfritz.org.

(04-16-2018, 05:21 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Didn't they examine Henry's brain and discover CTE? I'm just saying..maybe that explains a lot of his behavior.

There's so many similar stories about guys having sudden changes in behavior (Seau, Titus Young, JK Schaffer, Brian Price, Cullen Finnerty, etc).

You might get a back page story on these guys, then it gets swept under the rug. No one wants to talk about the elephant in the room. Football is too popular.

Btw, congrats Brad. Always nice to hear you doing positive things.

Had no idea about those two and just looked them up; what a sad life Price had and instead of turning it around, it looks like it consumed him.

Schaffer, that's just completely out of left field. Wow.

Just thinking back on all the events in my life that could have left me in even worse shape , accidents, things I did intentionally and so on make me feel really lucky. The first half (actually longer than that ) were me completely out of control with little regard to myself and the people in my life.  I can't really point to whatever it  was that turned my life around other than quit drinking, but  I'm glad I did and have the opportunity to live the rest of my life differently without all the recklessness. 
Carry on young man . You're on a good path.. 

Have to admit, I clicked on this thread expecting Chris Henry's Momma jokes...... "Chris Henry's Momma is so......"

That was a magical year with Henry, Chad and Houz with Rudy and Carson. We don't get many of those here in Cincy. Smacked the crap out of the steelers.. it was sweet.

With my late wife's passing I had to do funeral and cemetery things, which brings out the best and worst in people. The key thing is to make sure I tried to return things back to REST IN PEACE. This is a very fragile thing, this REST IN PEACE. Yes, I had to notify people of her death, of her funeral, of her cemetery. Like all things in life, you can't please everybody, and the key thought to such things is to try to keep returning to Rest In Peace for God and Heaven.

I'm not sure of the original posters relationship to Mr Henry, and his is a good post in fond remembrance. Not knowing Mr Henry, I don't feel comfortable myself in saying anything other than REST IN PEACE, and really, that's all I can say.

My son plays football in the same Pop Warner league (different division) as Chris Henry's two kids. They are a spitting image of him.

Ironically, the team they are on is the Steelers.