A Christmas Story

By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com
December 24, 2002

CHARLOTTE - West Virginia University sophomore defensive back Jahmile Addae says this is the first Christmas he’s spent away from his family.

Counting Our Blessings

Each Christmas it is customary for us to count our blessings. In a year following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and a possible war with Iraq looming on the horizon, the world we live in is as precarious and uncertain as ever.

Even though his mind is occupied with a football game against the Virginia Cavaliers this Saturday, Mountaineer sophomore safety Jahmile Addae admits he sometimes wonders how things will ultimately turn out.

“Even though we’re playing football, we don’t lose track of the more serious things going on,” he said. “There are things that are happening that you have to give thanks for as well as pray for. A lot of people are going through a lot worse stuff than we are and anytime we get a chance we say a prayer for them after practice.”

Linebacker Ben Collins has a good friend in the service and says he is scheduled to leave for the Persian Gulf next month.

“I just hope and pray for him that he will be safe,” said Collins. “It’s good that we have people out there willing to put their life on the line for our country.”

Freshman basketball player Joe Herber hails from Darmstadt, Germany, and grew up listening to stories from his grandparents about the horrors of war. The Allies once attacked his town on their march toward Berlin.

“My grandparents survived that attack,” he said. “Basically I’m against any war. Germany has the basic opinion of being against war because of what war did to our country. Everyone knows how bad it can be and what the consequences of war are.”

Like most Germans as well as many others throughout the world, Herber hopes the situation in Iraq can be resolved peacefully.

“Who knows how big of a threat they are? Do they have weapons and can they use them on other countries? Those are things I don’t know,” he said.

Herber’s basketball teammate Jarmon Durisseau-Collins, who made special arrangements to fly home to see his family for a couple of days during Christmas, is appreciative of what our fighting forces are prepared to do in the name of freedom - many of whom are native West Virginians.

“Whenever you have someone who puts their life on the line for their own country I think they are the real heroes of the world. People willing to fight for freedom - that’s the ultimate right there.”

Addae is currently with the Mountaineer football team in Charlotte, N.C., preparing for the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl to be played against Virginia at Ericsson Stadium this Saturday.

“It’s a little bit different,” Addae admitted. “My dad can handle it but my mom is really taking it kind of hard as well as my little brother and sister. It’s hard being away from them for Christmas but there are certain sacrifices that you have to make.”

Jahmile, a Valrico, Fla., resident, usually travels north to visit family in either New York or Canada.

“It switches up every Christmas but it is always up north. In Florida it’s not really a Christmas, I mean my little brother is probably swimming right now.”

The Addae family is once again coming north but this time they will stop in Charlotte for the game.

“It will be somewhat of a post Christmas-type deal,” he said. “We’ll open packages at the hotel.”

Senior strong safety Jermaine Thaxton has had his Christmas interrupted once before for the 2000 Music City Bowl, and says some of his family will join him in Charlotte on the 26th.

“Two of my brothers will be coming down to the hotel after Christmas,” he said.

According to Jermaine, no two Christmas’ are alike in his family.

“We usually do something different every year,” he said. “We go to different places every year. We either go to one of my grandma’s houses or stay at home. We have a big dinner, open gifts -- stuff like that.”

Senior defensive tackle Tim Love has also modified his Christmas plans to accommodate his team’s bowl preparations. He plans to meet his family sometime on Christmas day.

“My family is coming down on the morning of the 25th,” he said. “I think we’re having a dinner and I think the bowl is having something for us in the morning.”

Junior Quincy Wilson is planning a big get together once his family arrives in Charlotte sometime Christmas day.

“I’ll have everyone down here so we’ll try to go out and eat after the team stuff is done and have a little family dinner,” he said. “We’re going to exchange gifts at the hotel.”

The usual Christmas ritual for Quincy is to wake up on Christmas day, open gifts, then go over to his little cousin’s house to see what they got.

“Maybe I’ll help them set up their toys if they need something built,” he said. “Then we’ll go to my grandma’s house and eat.”

Linebacker Ben Collins is going it alone this Christmas. He already had his Christmas dinner last week and will meet his family when they arrive on Friday.

“My aunt usually has some people over but that is always on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. I’m getting older now and Christmas is not as huge for me,” he said.

Jahmile Addae is pleased his family is making the six-plus hour drive up to Charlotte to spend Christmas with him.

“I’m blessed to have a great family,” he said.

Quincy Wilson also counts his blessings, “I’m happy I got through a season healthy, I’m happy we’re at a bowl game, I’m happy I’ve got a great family and friends that I really care about. I’m just a fortunate and lucky guy.”

Wilson has a special message for Mountaineer football fans everywhere: “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Hopefully we can get that 10th win for you and really bring in the New Year right.”

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