Mooney mourns its loss together

P.J. Fecko answered the telephone early Sunday morning unprepared for what he was about to hear.
How can anybody ever be prepared to deal with the tragic news of death, especially when it involves young, promising lives?
"You hear about pivotal moments," said Fecko, the Cardinal Mooney High football coach.
"It's amazing how a simple phone call could change so many things," he said. "In a minute phone call, somebody's giving you this type of information."
Losing loved ones
Late the night before, two of Fecko's football players -- senior Anthony Childs and junior Isiah Thomas -- were killed in an automobile accident in Mill Creek Park. Senior Christiaen Lively was injured.
Fecko spent the next day visiting the homes of players' families, meeting with the team and absorbing the shock that comes with such a tragedy.
"The team really rallied together to lean on each other," Fecko said. "It's one of those side things in athletics that's such a benefit in life -- the ability to lean on people and rely on people."
The mourning has continued this week for two students remembered most for their personalities and senses of humor -- in the locker room and around school.
"When a tragic event happens like this, no longer do you look at these people as great football players or great athletes," Fecko said. "You look at how they were two really good people."
In tense and stressful situations, Fecko recalled, Childs had a calming influence over the Cardinals.
"He'd make some type of comment that would really loosen everybody up," Fecko said. "It was kind of his personality, how he operated. He'd say something and everybody would start laughing."
Football talent
Childs was a 5-foot-11 all-Ohio middle linebacker for the Cardinals. He was also a two-time Vindicator all-star.
In his Vindicator biography after last season, Childs said that his positive influence was "my family, friends and teammates for all their support, especially during my rehabilitation after a knee injury. It helped me return to football."
His best memory was "our team making it to the playoffs." The Cardinals made their first postseason appearance since the 1999 season.
We also asked student-athletes to tell us something others would be surprised to learn about them, to which Childs wrote, "I have a lot of musical talent."
He also had a lot of football talent.
"He really had a great feel for the ball and extremely good acceleration. He could just track people down," Fecko said.
In the film room, Mooney's coaches would often look at one another with amazement, wondering how Childs had covered so much ground so fast.
"After the season was over, I had countless coaches of teams we faced say they were very impressed with his ability," Fecko said.
Childs had been drawing attention from college coaches, including some from the Division I level, Fecko said.
Soon-to-be senior
While Childs had established himself on the varsity team, Thomas was preparing to make an impact as a senior at the next level. He had been a tailback on the Cardinals' junior varsity team.
"Isiah was just coming into his own right as a junior getting ready for his senior season," Fecko said.
But now, because of an unfortunate turn of events, that opportunity has been sadly lost.
"It makes people refocus and realize how precious life is, how you should not take anything for granted and how you should appreciate everything you have," Fecko said.
"Because, in a matter of minutes, it can all be taken away."
XBrian Richesson covers high school sports for The Vindicator. Write to him at richesson@vindy.com.