(Pasadena) – I first of heard of Austin Lacy back in the spring of 2009. I went to Pasadena High School to talk to Football Coach Mike McFarland about his team and snap a few shots.
When I asked McFarland who looks good for his team so far the first player he mentioned was Lacy. “Keep an eye on that guy,” McFarland said pointing to Lacy. “He’s just an incredible athlete; very talented kid. I expect to him to do great things.”
So I did. I took pictures of him running through drills, and watched him for a few moments practicing with the other skill position players.
It’s hard to evaluate a player in ten minutes in May but what McFarland saw, I could see also. He glided when he ran, soared when he jumped and seemed to do it all so effortlessly.
My heart sunk when I heard the news that Lacy, 18, passed away today in a Maryland hospital due to an unknown illness. Lacy had been diagnosed with a heart condition last year and was hospitalized in a frightening incident.
Lacy transferred to Bishop Amat before the 2009 season but came back to Pasadena and played for the Bulldogs last season for his senior year.
Your first reaction is to ask why but then realize that only God knows why and who are we to question his reasons? You want to ask how but even if we knew all the details it doesn’t change the fact that an extremely talented young man has passed on.
So instead we pray to that same God for strength and guidance for the family and friends of Austin Lacy. We pray for peace for the family in the time of a storm and comfort in the time of distress.
We pray that through the immense sadness and sorrow that the family is feeling, they will also be able to cherish and be thankful for the memories they have of Austin.
Austin Lacy will be missed. Apparently God needed an extraordinarily talented athlete.
Update: Lacy sufferred from a rare form of cancer known as mesothelioma. The lung disease is most common among industrial workers who inhaled asbestos – a mineral used in building material that was outlawed in the late 1970s. Lacy had battled the disease for the last year or so and had gone to a hospital in Maryland for further treatment.
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