Angel in the Backfield
When Brian Kelly leads his Notre Dame Fighting Irish onto the field tonight against Alabama, Barry Sullivan will be watching from the stands. A little over two years ago Sullivan's oldest child, Declan, was on a scissors lift videotaping the Irish football practice when high winds caused the lift to topple and killed the 20-year-old student. He and his family have taken Declan's death with more grace than most could ever hope to muster.
Instead of law suits, forced firings and acrimony, the Sullivans began the Declan Drumm Sullivan Fund to help poor students in Chicago get a college education. Started with an undisclosed amount from the university and unsolicited gifts that poured in after Declan's death, its first batch of students have been christened "Declan's Forty" and attend Chicago's Horizon for Youth program.
To this day some still cannot believe that the Sullivans didn't sue and others believe that Brian Kelly was utimately responsible and paid no price. But Sullivan says that it was obvious that the coach shared their grief and the university's response convinced him and his wife that legal action was not the way to go. And Declan's sister, Wyn, lead the way by returning to classes at Notre Dame after the funeral. It was, she said, where she wanted to be.
Declan was named after Declán mac Eircc, a 5th Century Irish Saint who proceeded St. Patrick in the task of turning the Irish people toward Christianity. Perhaps the response of the Sullivan family shows us that Saints still walk among us.
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Apr '12
Re: Angel in the Backfield
It really was touching that the Sullivans decided to be big enough people to enable something good to come out of such a tragedy. Their son will be remembered with affection and gratitude instead of bitterness and acrimony, and that's a nice testament to them.
Feb '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Thank you for writing about this. What a beautiful story.
Dec '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
It's so sad to read about this because this death could have been so easily avoided. With further thought maybe it was not as easy to see the problem ahead of time. Sometimes wind can be tricky and can gust unexpectedly. If the gust hits the person at an unprepared moment bad things can result. I have heard also that cameramen sometimes are so much in the viewfinder that they can do some stupid things. It's too bad we all know what to do after the accident instead of before.
It is nice to read that the family found an appropriate way to remember their son and his love of the game. It is wonderful also that this family did not become the "Fighting Irish" but the "Loving/Forgiving Irish".
May '10
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Real grace displayed under perhaps the toughest fire of all.
Apr '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Good for the Sullivans, but do you really have to be a saint to refrain from a lawsuit to assuage any grief or grievance?
This is a rhetorical quibble, tho I am never far from "First thing we do is, let's kill all the lawyers".
Nov '10
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Hurrah for the Sullivans
and...
Roll Tide!
May '10
Re: Angel in the Backfield
@Grendel - In today's culture of grievance? Yeah, pretty much.
Jul '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Great story. Go Bama, daddy needs a new shotgun. -9.5 points.
May '10
Re: Angel in the Backfield
In the shotgun already? Third and long and it's four hours to game time!
Jul '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
EJHill
In the shotgun already? Third and long and it's four hours to game time! · 0 minutes ago
That's funny. There's a pistol offense these days too. I was thinking however of a Benelli Super Black Eagle 2.
May '12
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Sorry EJ, usually I read your posts with high regard but not this one. Quite the opposite.
The truth is that Notre Dame was negligent. Blaming it as a freak weather incident doesn't really pan out as the weather was so bad and intense that week the NWS described it thus;
Even South Bend meteorologists warned about the effects of the low pressure system still around;
Even Ohio State's ethically challenged coach(now gone) Jim Tressel knew better;
May '12
Re: Angel in the Backfield
(cont.)
Anyone with an ounce of common sense knew the danger presented by the gusty weather. Even Declan knew his life was in danger. His last tweets posted on Twitter confirm this;
"Gusts of wind up to 60mph...Well today will be fun at work...I guess I've lived long enough :-/"
and
"Holy f*ck Holy F*ck this is terrifying"
Within 30 minutes the lift Declan was on was blown over, Declan was taken to the hospital where he died.
And football practice continued for another 25 minutes after the lift was blown over.
Other evidence is even more damning.
Here's my favorite piece of doublespeak from the Notre Dame's Orwellian report;
May '12
Re: Angel in the Backfield
(cont.)
So....the guy never had training beyond what he received from the company he rented the lifts from? And he's letting students without any training up on these lifts? Hello Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.
As for why the Sullivan family didn't sue Notre Dame? It's amazing when one considers the evidence of negligence by Notre Dame. It sure as hell doesn't have anything to do with 'Grace'. Perhaps the Sullivans think they're being good little Catholics with a dose of Irish-American tribalism by letting the fake Irish off the hook. Catholic Guilt and tribalism and all that. Frankly, the Sullivan case has all the charm of the paedophile priest coverup.
Oh yeah, Go Bama!!!
May '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Notre Dame may have been legaly negligent but I admire the Sullivan's choice. I am sure that letting fake Irish off the hook along with all the pedophile priests associated with Catholiciscm weighed heavily in their desicsion.
May '10
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Honestly, Jim, I went looking for this story this morning because so few sports sites were remembering Declan in their coverage of tonight's BCS Championship.
I know three things: 1) What my natural reaction would be as a parent if such a tragedy were to strike one of my children and 2) What my Christianity calls me do and 3) #1 and #2 are total opposites.
Therefore when you find someone who can exhibit that level of grace it is to be admired, regardless of one's belief in the school's and Brian Kelly's culpability.
That's what is amazing about human emotion. I related a story of forgiveness. You read a story of injustice. I wrote a story of forgiveness. You wrote an indictment. Same story, different take.
Feb '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Jim I, the firm statements you make about fault and responsibility affirm the Sullivan's response as grace-filled, inasmuch as grace is unmerited and undeserved. I'm glad they've chosen to do something positive with their son's memory.
Jul '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
It is impossible to prepare kids for everything so I teach mine critical thinking. I would hope not getting on a flimsy ladder in huge winds would be a choice they made.
The story is horrible and the worst nightmare a family can face. I am not making light of the tragedy but let's not forget the kid made a choice here also.
Personally, I doubt I would sue. Money can't change the pain and in fact may worsen it.
May '12
Re: Angel in the Backfield
You're correct. We have two totally different takes on this. And I'm more than willing to concede that my opinion of why the Sullivan family isn't suing could be incorrect. Perhaps the truth is in the middle.
However, the problem I'm having with this case is that a young man with his whole life ahead of him is dead because the adults charged with his safety didn't do their job and look out for his best interests. Director of Video Tim Collins still has a job and Declan Sullivan is dead. From indications it needn't have been that way.
But, hey, at least Notre Dame is winning. Right?
As for Grace, time enough for that in the grave. Justice is for the here and now.
Edited on January 8, 2013 at 12:25amMay '10
Re: Angel in the Backfield
SP - As they used to say during WWII, "Was that trip necessary?"
The pedophilia scandal is totally unrelated to this story and, quite frankly, your raising it in this context is disappointing to say the least. Must every story concerning the Catholic Church or one of it's affiliated institutions mention it?
Dec '11
Re: Angel in the Backfield
Jim Ixtian,
Thanks for the comments. I was wishfully thinking this was a freak accident. There was no reason to put this young man in danger. This was gross negligence. No training video is needed so badly that a human life is put at risk. I know if it was I had the responsibility others might be able to forgive me but it would be hard to ever forgive myself.