Ed Thomas and Small Town, Iowa, and What They Know That We Sometimes Forget

Sports Illustrated ran this story in July 2009 about Ed Thomas, the beloved Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach who was shot to death by a former player. Written by Lee Jenkins, one of the best sportswriters around, the piece is beautiful. I'd forgotten about it until tonight, when I watched the video  after a friend posted it to Facebook (available after the jump).  If you read the story and watch the video you'll know the full scope of why it moved me. It'll move anyone who watches it. The family of the downed coach stood up in front of their community and said that they forgave the family of the boy who shot Coach.What struck me, though, was something Aaron Thomas, one of Ed's sons, said toward the end of the video. 

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