Let’s be honest, we all know what an amazing football team we have. Especially after that blowout game against Michigan last Saturday. That “na-na-na” chant really should be sung more often, and knowing our team, I’m sure they’ll be giving us plenty of opportunities this fall.
While it’s definitely important to recognize our football program for what they’ve accomplished on the field, sometimes we should look at their actions off the field as well. I’m not referring to academics either, which as we all know are an integral part of Notre Dame.
This past Thursday was the 13th anniversary of September 11th. Last December, our football team played in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City. While they were there, the entire team paid tribute to the four Notre Dame Alumni that lost their lives during the attacks: Francis Edward Grogan (‘51) – Flight 175, Robert John Ferris (‘62) – South Tower, Dora Marie Menchaca (‘77) – Flight 77, and Lt. Col. Stephen Neil Hyland, Jr. (‘77) – Pentagon.
It was not a particularly well-advertised or marketed tribute. I found out about it through a connection in the Notre Dame Club of Orange County who forwarded me the link. In honor of those who lost their lives that day and all the affected families, I am highlighting the tribute of the Notre Dame Football program to the victims of 9/11.
I do want to take a second to emphasize that there were many more members of the Notre Dame family who were directly affected by these attacks, whether they be rescuers or related to victims who did not attend Notre Dame. And although there is no memorial that can do justice to all those affected, I hope that they understand that this tribute is for them as well.
Please see the video below (coverage of the visit to the memorial begins at 2:11):
On a personal level, I can say that there is a certain effect that these actions have on the families who have experienced such tragedy. There was no better 80th birthday present that my grandfather could have received that day than having a captain of the Notre Dame football team place a flag in his son’s name at the memorial. I want to thank the Notre Dame football program and the other Notre Dame athletic programs that have honored the victims so well.
9/11, never forget right? There’s more to never forgetting than most people recognize. Never forget the force of remembering. Never forget the value of life. Never forgetting is not a vendetta. If it were, it would be a disservice to everyone who lost their lives. Never forgetting means not focusing solely on ourselves. It means never forgetting the importance of unity and community. Never forget where you came from. Most applicably, never forget how lucky you are to be at Notre Dame. Not every university has the community that we do. Not every university’s football program would do something like this. This is just another reason why there is nowhere else but Notre Dame.
Go Irish. Never Forget.
I would like to dedicate this article to my Uncle Lt. Col. Stephen Neil Hyland (‘77), whom I could never forget.
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Images: 1, 2 provided by author