The Way We Play The Game

I just read the article about Jack Jablonski by Karen Schneider, and I have to say, I was definitely intrigued. When I first heard about the accident, I honestly didn't see what the huge deal was. My thinking was that the incident was sad, but so are a lot of the other things you hear about on the news, so I didn't understand what made this unfortunate event so important. Maybe I did not connect with the accident because I don't play or watch hockey, or because I did not know how rare and severe Jack's injury was. But by hearing some of my classmate's reactions and feelings, and by reading this article, I now better understand why this was so shocking, and so terrible. He sounds like the kind of kid that was popular among his friends, and was respectful towards all. Accidents like these shouldn't happen to good people. In fact, my parents and I talked about a similar topic the other night. My mom beat cervical cancer a few years ago, and my dad is currently fighting the cancer known as lymphoma. My parents said that they often asked themselves, "Why me? I am a good person, and yet I got this awful disease." But, my parents also reasoned, "Why not me?" This way of thinking about an accident or illness really stuck with me, because it explains that bad things can happen to anyone, no matter how good of a person he or she is. The accident also touches the hearts of a lot of the parents of hockey players, because they know it could have just as easily been their kid. When I first heard about Jack's injury, I didn't know how rare it was for a high school player to become paralyzed playing sports. It mentions in the article that Jack asked his mom, "Why me?" But, overall, it seems Jack faced his troubles bravely and he was able to in part due to the gigantic wave of support he received from all around the world. His determination is really inspiring, too. He apparently said that his goal is to skate again one day. This idea may seem far-fetched, however, I think that will all the advances in medical technology, that dream may become a reality in Jack's lifetime. I also believe that we will continue to hear about Jack for a bit longer, because he is such a wonderful person and deserves to be recognized for his bravery and determination.