RhodeIslandOne

RhodeIslandOne's Journal

April 13, 2020

"WhAt wUz thEiR undERLyinG cONditION???"

This is the new MAGA tactic in response to stories about any younger person COVID death on social media now that “buT wHAt abOUt thE fLU?????” is losing steam as the deaths quickly mount. I’ve seen it several times today. The lack of empathy and gaslighting continue.

April 5, 2020

Tom Dempsey, historic New Orleans Saints placekicker, dies at 73 after coronavirus battle

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune

Tom Dempsey, whose 63-yard-field goal in 1970 set the NFL record and gave New Orleans Saints fans a rare raucous moment in the franchise's lean early years, died late Saturday of complications from the novel coronavirus, his family said. He was 73.

Dempsey — who overcame astronomical odds to establish what was then considered a virtually unbeatable record — contracted the virus in March during an outbreak at the Lambeth House retirement home in Uptown New Orleans. He is one of at least 15 residents there to die after being stricken with the disease.

Before long-distance place-kicking became a staple of the sport, Dempsey's thunderous boot not only beat the Detroit Lions 19-17 on the last play of the game at Tulane Stadium on Nov. 8, 1970, but also stood as the NFL record for more than four decades. It beat the previous record by a full 7 yards.

The Denver Broncos' Matt Prater bested Dempsey with a 64-yarder in 2013 — 43 years after Dempsey unleashed his cannon-shot opposite Lions' defenders who had been laughing at what they believed to be an impossible attempt.

Read more: https://www.nola.com/sports/saints/article_f4822bdf-7ef3-522e-8634-54ad5805dc21.html

This guy had an amazing story, and a lot of grief in his life even after overcoming so much. A very sad end.