0
0
His Father’s Early Death Inspires Eagles Owner to Succeed
Jeffrey Lurie, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles whose team will
play this Sunday in the Super Bowl, has faced his share of challenges.
Years ago he, ironically, tried to buy the Patriots but the deal did
not pan out. So instead he bought the Eagles. The media criticized
him, asserting that he rushed into the decision to rebound emotionally
from the setback with the Patriots.
But he had dealt with bigger problems.
When he was nine years old, Lurie’s father died of kidney cancer,
leaving the young boy as the oldest in his family with an autistic
sibling. He had to grow up fast.
Lurie’s story is conveyed in a chapter of a book titled Succeed on
Your Own Terms that conveys various stories of people overcoming
obstacles to find success in life. In the chapter about Lurie,
“Confidence – Start By Acting Like a Winner,” Lurie talks about how
his father’s death influenced the rest of his life.
“From the age of nine on, I’ve always valued life more because of what
happened,” he said. “When you see your father deteriorate and die so
young, you are thankful just to be alive. And then you take your life
very seriously.”
“I really wanted to do something special to honor my father, whose
life was cut so short, as well as acknowledge how great my mom was,”
he added. “I thought if I could be really successful, that would be a
living testimonial to both of them. That’s really been a driving force
for me. It’s like I’ve always imagined winning a championship.
Personally, I would be thrilled beyond belief, but I’d also be grateful
for the opportunity to fully credit my father and mother for all
they’ve done for me.”
“When something as devastating a losing your father occurs, you can
see yourself as a victim and expect that bad things are always going
to happen. Or you can redirect your energy…you can take what happened
and create something wonderful because of it. The loss of my father
gave me an appreciation of the fragility of life. Part of my
confidence and optimism is a direct result of the lessons I’ve learned
from adversity. I know how short life can be, and that propels me.”
Before reading about him this week, the only thing I know about this
man was his name; I had heard of him. Knowing more about his story,
I’m rooting for him to win that championship not just to dethrone the
Patriots but because the man has persisted in life after losing his
father at a young age. Most of us don’t have to deal with that
life-altering type event. Lurie did. And Lurie kept living. He used
the tragedy to try to do something great with his life to honor his
parents. He rebuilt and improved a professional football franchise.
His team is one game away from the mountaintop.
Go Eagles.
Author Profile
-
Sammy Sportface, a sports blogger, galvanizes, inspires, and amuses The Baby Boomer Brotherhood. And you can learn about his vision and join this group's Facebook page here:
Sammy Sportface Has a Vision -- Check It Out
Sammy Sportface -- The Baby Boomer Brotherhood Blog -- Facebook Page
Latest entries
BonusApril 24, 2024German Rides Record 93-Foot Wave In Run Up to Olympics Surfing
BonusApril 22, 2024Old Friends Reconnect As New Friends
BonusApril 21, 2024Sportface Unveils Board of Directors to Land Sneaker Deal
BonusApril 20, 2024A Horrible Life Becomes Great