A Good Cause
July 22, 2007 01:32 PM | General
July 22, 2007
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| Rick Gilliam |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – More than 120 former teammates, friends and family members were at Mountaineer Golf Course in Morgantown on Saturday to celebrate the life of Rick Gilliam, who died unexpectedly five months ago of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
Gilliam was a starting center on West Virginia’s 2000 Music City Bowl championship team and a four-year letterman for the Mountaineers. More than 30 former teammates came back to take part in a golf tournament arranged by Rick's WVU teammates John Conte and Tanner Russell to benefit his young daughter Mya.
“I figured I know so many people in this town, I love West Virginia football, and I just wanted to do something,” Conte said. “I got back from his funeral and I called the golf course first and they were great -- I can’t say enough about Donnie Schillinger and their staff. I got a date, made flyers and forms and got the word out to everyone. I made one phone call to the Boston Beanery about food and they said, ‘Done, we’ll take care of it.’ They were unbelievable.
“John Fleming at The Book Exchange went above and beyond providing us with stuff. I think it turned out to be a good time for everyone who participated and it’s for a good cause,” Conte said.
Conte admits he was overwhelmed with the response he received, getting hole sponsorships from WVU Director of Athletics Ed Pastilong and former Mountaineer coach Don Nehlen, who was unable to attend Saturday because of a prior commitment. Current offensive line coach Greg Frey made a visit to the golf course and WVU Director of Communications Michael Fragale arranged a playing foursome representing the athletic department.
“I was a nervous wreck until everyone teed off,” Conte said. “I knew once we got started that everything would turn out great. We had a great day, great weather and things couldn’t have turned out better.”
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| Bryan Pukenas and Randy Dunnigan look over a putt during Saturday's Rick Gilliam Memorial Golf Tournament at Mountaineer Golf Course.
WVU Sports Communications photo |
Conte and his teammates also took time to reflect on what a great friend, father and husband Gilliam was.
“Whether you talked to him every two or three months or you just saw him it was like falling back into the days when we were teammates and saw each other and busted each other’s chops all the time,” Conte said. “He was a great friend; he would give you the shirt off his back and we all realized that and I think that’s why so many people showed up.”
Among those at the golf course on Saturday were Gilliam's mother Margie and father Rick Sr., his widow Kendra and their daughter Mya. Conte estimates after expenses this year’s tournament will raise about $5,000 to benefit Mya’s college education. Conte hopes to continue the tournament.
“Based on the turnout I don’t see why we can’t do this thing every year,” he said.
“The gift of giving is a true gift. To see the effect that we’ve had on his family and see how happy and proud his family is it fills your heart with joy,” Conte said. “It’s also a time of sadness because it’s only been five months ago when he died. We’re all still grieving because the guy dies at 29 and that’s not supposed to happen. This is the least I could do and it turned out well.”
