By Dr. Jessica Johnson
Guest Column
During the middle of July, a tragic homicide story rocked the Ohio State University football team as the mother of freshman wide receiver Carnell Tate was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood. The hearts of Buckeye fans were broken for Tate, who is only 18 and is expected to see some playing time this year. His mother, Ashley Griggs, won’t be cheering in the stands to see her son in his scarlet and gray debut.
Looking at the Twitter posts of Tate’s football accolades, Griggs was a proud mom who doted on him. Two of her last tweets were a photo of Tate’s No. 17 home and away jerseys and a picture of him getting settled in his dorm room on campus with the caption “go be great son love you.” At just 40, Griggs was brutally robbed of witnessing Tate’s college career unfold.
As Buckeye social media sites were flooded with prayers and support for Tate, I was thinking about the devastating toll that gun violence continues to have on families throughout the nation. This comment from an Ohio State fan pretty much summed up my feelings: “The impermanence of life affects everyone nearly the same.” Indeed, it does. It only takes one catastrophic phone call to permanently upend someone’s world. At this year’s Big Ten Media Days, OSU head coach Ryan Day described the distressing phone call he received at 6 a.m. regarding Tate’s mother, telling reporters, “When you lose somebody close to you like that, it just takes the rug out from underneath you. And I know that happened to (Tate). He does have a team that’s here to support him.” Tate is definitely blessed to have the brotherhood of his teammates to lean on, in addition to other university resources that he can access.
With Chicago being mentioned in many of the headlines when the murder of Tate’s mother was first publicized, highlighting the Windy City was a sad and familiar news title. Although Chicago murders through June 25 decreased by 7% according to Wirepoints’ data, the city’s 287 murders as of July 5 have Chicago on a dreadful pace to once again be the nation’s leader in homicides for the 12th consecutive year. In February of last year, Chicago placed 28th on CBS News’ “Murder Map,” which listed the country’s 65 deadliest cities. The No. 1 spot went to St. Louis. It is no surprise that with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 48,830 total gun deaths in 2021, which also included gun suicides, that gun violence continues to be a major public health crisis in the U.S.
When Tate announced in 2021 that he would be transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, I wonder if the homicide statistics of his hometown had any bearing on his decision. There was also the uncertainty of the impact COVID-19 restrictions would have on the football season in the state of Illinois at this time, and Tate was already a highly sought-after recruit by major college programs during his sophomore year at Marist High School. IMG is known as a top boarding school for high-profile athletes, and Tate stated that he was also focused on getting the best academic preparation for college. Coach Day mentioned that Tate is “a private person,” so if Tate decides to open up about his grieving process several years from now, I would not be shocked if he affirms that gun violence influenced his move to Florida.
I have earnestly prayed for Tate and his family as many in Buckeye Nation have done. I also echo the sentiments of another fan that I read online who compassionately stated, “God has a plan for you son.” I cannot imagine the deep agony and sorrow that Tate is feeling in his personal moments away from his teammates and close friends, but I truly believe God has a great purpose for this young man’s life. When tragedies like the murder of Tate’s mother occur, we honestly don’t have the answers, but in times of great sorrow God promises to heal those who are “brokenhearted” and to “bind up their wounds” as only He can. I will continue to pray for Tate’s wounded heart to be divinely mended as he steps on the field this season.
Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at The Ohio State University-Lima. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @JjSmojc. Her opinion does not necessarily represent the views of The Lima News or its owner, AIM Media.
