Remembering No. 92

Posted by Tim Cigelske on September 21, 2010   Jump To Comments

Reggie White left us far too early the day after Christmas in 2004. He was 43.

I remember that day because I was working as a reporter at the Wisconsin State Journal when the news broke of a massive tsunami that hit in Asia. Then throughout the course of the day, we learned that Reggie had passed away in his sleep. It was a sad and surreal news day.

After his death, his wife Sara co-founded the Reggie White Sleep Disorders Research & Education Foundation to raise awareness around sleep disorders and sleep apnea.

In an obituary in Sports Illustrated, Peter King wrote that White came to Green Bay despite over-the-top perks from other teams because he “wanted to do what’s best for this family.” King goes on to credit him for his giant contributions on and off the field.

Maybe he could’ve done more big works in a metropolitan area. But he established a base for doing good things in Green Bay, Milwaukee, as well as his adopted hometown of Knoxville. Was the money a factor? Yes, a big one. But Reggie White put his money where his beliefs were, helping unwed mothers who couldn’t afford to help themselves.

Today there is a golf outing in Lake Geneva to remember Reggie and support the foundation. It will be attended by former Green Bay Packers William Henderson and Bill Schroeder, former Wisconsin Badgers football stars Derek Engler and Jamie Vanderveldt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports reporter Gary D’Amato and many others.

Check out the foundation’s website for future events and how you can help: http://www.reggiewhitefoundation.org/