Anger or just jealousy?
July 19th, 2006If you don't live under a rock, you may recall, on the very same morning that Virg died in a motorcycle accident, that Ben Roethisberger also had a motorcycle accident. I remember being so angry that morning when I heard the news. Here was a guy who has everything to lose, riding around without a helmet. And here was our beloved Virg, who had everything to lose, so therefor practiced good riding safety. You could also say I was jealous that Ben survived.. I wanted Virgil back.
Now today I read that Ben says he won't do helmet safety ads. Its not that he won't. Its why he won't..
"I don't think that's my place," the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback said in a taped interview aired Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America.""Some
people feel that, you know, I probably should be doing that and being a
big advocate for that," Roethlisberger said from Los Angeles. "But for
me, I'm going to let people make their own decisions ... So I don't
think you'll see me doing any kind of billboards or advertisements."
One may argue that Virg was wearing a helmet and still died. True. But how many motorcyclists died on June 12th that were not wearing a helmet? How many in the month of June? How many so far this year?
At a time when we urge our children to practice bicycle safety (I don't know about you, but my kids don't even sit on their bikes unless they have a helmet on) its a bit careless, when a very popular sports hero and idol like Ben Roethisberger dismisses the importance of a helmet. Seriously I can imagine the kids across the country who think to themselves "Ben doesn't wear a helmet and he was ok"
More, its probably the connection of the accidents being on the same day. Any other day prior to Virg's death I probably would have said "damn fool!". But the issue seems much more important to me now. Dude, if I have to wear a seatbelt inside my high rated for crash safety minivan, celebrities like Ben Rothisberger should be wearing helmets, or at the very least for goodness sake, set a freaking example to the children who idolize them and advocate their use!
Around a year ago on this day..
- sockapal2za - 2005
July 19th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Your point is very well taken Carla!
July 19th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Some people just don’t value the life that they have. He could set a great example for all those kids whose parents don’t care enough to insist on a helmet. Maddening.
July 19th, 2006 at 6:57 pm
I think you should write him a letter!!! Seriously you lost someone you love the same day! Let him know how you feel!!!
July 19th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
Carla,
I am really truly sorry. If Ben didn’t even read the blog, then why don’t you write a letter and send to Steelers Office? It might be a bit help. It would be an honor if Ben do something about this for you and your family.. What about the fund? Charity? for the future to help children when they grow up? I would recommend something to keep the honor of Virg. I will pray for you. I wish I was in PA, I would chase Ben’s butt to straight this up and help other people for a future safety. You know what I am saying.
You and your family are in my prayers, Carla an kids. Bless your heart.
Smile
July 21st, 2006 at 11:40 pm
Just reading your blog for the first time today, and I am so sorry for your loss. Although we are strangers, you and your family will be in my prayers. You know, I agree with a person’s right to choose to self destruct, but NOT when it affects my pocketbook or my personal health. The plain truth is that not wearing a helmut increases the risk of death or serious head injury and debilitation. If those things just affected the person who didn’t wear a helmut, so be it. But that isn’t the case. The cost of care for a motorcycle crash victim is exponential. Even if the injured person has health insurance (and over 40 million of Americans do NOT have health insurance), the cost of care for such severe injuries increases for everyone who holds an insurance policy, via higher premiums, and even for those who don’t, in the form of costlier office visits, diagnostic tests, pharmaceuticals, rehab, nursing home care, etc. If the crash victim dies, the family has to pay for a funeral. I am not even going to mention the emotional cost of losing a loved one, as that is self explanatory. Not wearing a motorcycle helmut is the utmost act of selfishness there is. It is a ME ME ME attitude, which is beyond immature. I say, let each person choose whether or not to wear a helmut, but sign off all worldly goods first, and exempt all others from having to pay for such a ridiculous choice. I am sorry if I am sounding political here, but I, too, lost a brother-in-law in a motorcycle crash (he was wearing a helmut), and I also have ridden motorcycles for many years. May you and your sister and your entire family find the strength to go on. That football player you spoke of is not only a poor example and an uniformed coward, but he missed a glorious opportunity to positively effect someone’s life in a manner that playing football with never do. God bless.