On the fifth anniversary of the Jacksonville tragedy, I feel like it’s time to share my story of that day.
That year, the Madden Classic was introduced with four challenger tournaments. These tournaments provided a route to the Madden Classic live event without having to go through the single elimination bracket. This made it extremely important for any pro Madden player to attend all of them. Because of this, I decided I was going to attend every one of these events.
A week before the Jacksonville tournament, Trueboy was still undecided about going. We spoke the Sunday before the tournament, and I stressed the importance of participating in all tournaments for the best chance at making the event. He then decided to book his trip.
On August 25th, players were put into groups. While most top competitors max PD’d every person in their group, I maxed two of the players in my group and ended up beating the third by 20, placing me at a lower seed in the bracket compared to other top players.
On August 26th, I ended up matching with Manu before the shooting. Our game was back and forth. After I scored before the end of the 4th quarter, tying it up to send us into overtime, I got into a heated disagreement with Joel, who was doing the commentary for our game. I eventually ended up losing to Manu in overtime. Feeling amped up and emotional, I stepped outside to collect myself. After spending 10-15 minutes sitting on the sidewalk, I decided it was best to return to my hotel and relax, even though two of my best friends, Wesley and Trueboy, were about to play.
Once in my hotel room, I tuned into the stream to watch Wesley and Trueboy’s game. That’s when I witnessed the shooting unfold. I saw the red dot on my best friend’s heart. In desperation, I called everyone I could, seeking any news. After some time had passed, one of my friends answered. Hiding in the venue’s bathroom with other competitors, he told me about Trueboy and identified the shooter, also warning that I could be a potential target. I immediately called the police in a panic. They dispatched an officer to sit with me in my hotel room until it was confirmed that the shooter was deceased.
I constantly grapple with the “whys.” Why did I convince Trueboy to attend? Why was I matched with Manu just before the shooting? Why did I have that incident with Joel during the game? Why did I decide to return to my hotel room? Every one of these events contributed to the path I found myself on that day. I still don’t know why I survived and they did not.
To everyone present that day, I love you. To everyone affected by this tragedy, I love you. Rest in Peace, Trueboy and SpotMe.
❤️ #WeAreMadden
Commanders fans,
Are you fired up yet?
This is @MagicJohnson this morning on the @TODAYshow discussing the bid for the team.
"I need a Super Bowl ring"
"I would love to be the owner of the @Commanders"
"Take that franchise to another level"
"Another African-American owner"