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Aug. 5--CANTON -- Sara White says her favorite football memory of her late husband was seeing him literally pick up wide receiver Cris Carter and toss him into quarterback Warren Moon to complete a spectacular sack.
That was defensive end Reggie White: powerful, exceptional, larger than life.
Sara will need to channel some of her husband's strength this afternoon, as she becomes the first woman to accept enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on behalf of a deceased relative or friend.
Induction day often proves to be one of the most emotional in the career of a legendary player or coach. How will a widow with multiple sclerosis, who's also battling vertigo, stand up to the moment?
Just fine, if Friday's news conference is any indication.
The Cleveland native was witty, charismatic, introspective and courageous in discussing the life of her hall of fame husband and the ordeal of these past 19 months without him. She broke down once -- envisioning her daughter's wedding day and no father to accompany her down the aisle -- but rebounded magnificently.
When someone asked her about White's bitter playoff losses with the Philadelphia Eagles, she turned to fellow Class of 2006 inductee Troy Aikman and said:
"Troy will tell you, you've got to forget the losses," Sara said. "(Aikman) got hit by Reggie 50 times in one game."
The room filled with laughter. Asked if her acceptance speech remained a work in progress, Sara paused for effect.
"I'm still a work in progress," she said.
Memo to John Madden: If you want to be the engaging person in the room today you had better bring your "A" game.
Sara White knows it's going to be tough.
How could it not?
Her daughter, Jecolia, will sing the national anthem. Her son, Jeremy, will act as his father's presenter. Talk about emotion. More than 250 friends and family members, including White's parents, will be present.
"He should be up here for this," Sara said of her husband. "The last 22 years have been about Reggie and Sara, but this moment is about Reggie."
Sara is fulfilling many roles this weekend: mother, wife, daughter-in-law, host, enshrinee. The stress level has been high. She fell ill Thursday night, feeling the effects of vertigo.
Keeping her balance through life has been difficult since White's death on Dec. 26, 2004. (White died of cardiac arrhythmia at age 43.)
Losing a loved one so young is devastating. Losing a loved one who spent so much time in the public eye creates challenges most can never comprehend.
Sara still receives letters from fans requesting autographs.
"Some people still think he's alive," she said.
White was more than a great football player and a Super Bowl winner with the Green Bay Packers.
He was an ordained minister. He was a champion of the inner city. He was an immutable voice of social change. He spoke his mind and dealt with the consequences. His views of homosexuality created controversy, but he never wavered in his beliefs.
Sara and her children want desperately to carry on his legacy. Sometimes, however, they just need their space.
"I'm still trying to figure out what the definition of grieving is," Sara said.
"It's very difficult in the sense that I have to share him with the public -- I've been doing it for many, many years. But I still have some sorrowful moments (alone at home)."
Sara keeps a journal. She includes entries that are often conversational in style, her way of talking to her husband.
Their son Jeremy, a junior at Elon (N.C.) College, has written an autobiography about growing up in his father's shadow. He started the project before his father's death and was encouraged by Sara to finish it.
She continues her husband's philanthropic endeavors, and has begun a new one this week in Northeast Ohio in conjunction with Goodwill Industries.
Humanitarian. Football star. Political activist. Religious crusader. Sara's husband meant so much to so many.
How does she keep the message alive?
By finding the strength to step into the spotlight as she will do again today.
It says here Sara White will sweep the audience off its feet the way her husband did so many quarterbacks.
Tom Reed can be reached at toreed@thebeaconjournal.com
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio
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