Two weeks later the transfer was complete and with several other great players, we daggone almost took little Central City, one of the last independent city high schools in Kentucky to the State Tournament.  We lost by 2 points to perennial regional power Owensboro Senior in the regional tournament after beating them on their home floor by 2 points earlier in the year.  We started the season with a 15-0 record and a 10th ranking in the state polls before our center, Ben Lutz, went down with a knee injury.  Still, we finished with a 30-8 record and a boat load of trophies, championship nets and accolades.  As was appropriate, he remained the more highly regarded player, but, he shared the limelight so graciously and easily with me that my own ranking soared from almost unknown to being nearly as highly regarded as Penrod, even if not nearly as beloved.

This is the Penrod I know, love and will remember!  The gracious, fun-loving and kind-hearted young man with a smile that was so contagious that you always felt happier and more care-free when he was around. Penrod went on to play college basketball and then on to dental school, a small practice in his hometown and marriage to a hometown girl. Life was good and I visited Penrod as often as possible and loved every second I was able to spend with him. We would, of course, endlessly reminisce about our days playing together and all our fun and crazy shared experiences off the court. Penrod was just one of those people who was always so full of life that my heart and mind simply refuse to accept that I won't see him again.

Accept this reality, however, I must.

Life can be complicated, as we all know. Penrod's life was no exception as he faced his own unique set of challenges.  He lost his father, with whom he was closer than any father-son I'd ever known, right after high school in a tragic accident and then lost his mother, with whom he was equally close, just a few years later in another unexpected health related tragedy.  Much like my own life, Penrod made mistakes which exacted a toll on his life and caused hurt and pain to those closest to him.  A failed marriage, career implosion and damaged personal relationships were penalties Pen and I both experienced as either a direct or indirect consequence of our decision making.  Why his path came to such a tragic end and I remain here to write about it is a question without a good answer.  I can only say that whatever level of humility and gratitude I had before Penrod's death for the grace I've experienced in my life has been raised by a significant magnitude because I certainly don't deserve anything from life that Penrod didn't at least doubly deserve.

Good people sometimes make poor decisions and poor decisions have consequences.  Naively, I never considered either one of us not eventually beating any opponent we faced. We'd just get into the gym earlier and stay later until we had the upper-hand.  Then, we'd cut down the nets together and move on to life's next challenge.  Some people might give up or succumb to their demons... not Penrod!  For goodness sakes, definitely NOT Penrod!  Upon on tearful reflection, I can see how my own inability to believe this sort of tragedy could ever befall Penrod might be exactly the dynamic that Penrod was experiencing on the perverse other side of the coin of infallibility.  I sense now that maybe Penrod had difficulty just being one of us struggling Joe's who live a life of ups and downs hoping to ride it out for the next up.

Despite Penrod's battles on the court of life, I'd heard that he'd put his life on good footing, and was rebuilding his life one brick at a time.  Even though I had been unsuccessful in reaching out to him despite a few attempts to do so, I hoped that the lack of communication meant he was focused on re-building his life and that we'd spend a weekend attending some sports event soon and we'd once again tell all the stories that we loved so much to tell.  I saw his brothers a couple of times over the past three years and always tried to pass along my love and encouragement to Penrod through them.  They always gave positive, hopeful and appreciative responses.  As I hear more of the story post mortem, I know that their public face of hopefulness was a courageous and faithful front to long-suffering battle for their brother they were fighting behind the public lines.

I really don't know how to process yet that Penrod and I won't be cutting down those nets together after all.  One thing I do know is that Penrod's tragic death will change me and that I'm going to start immediately with getting into the gym a little earlier and staying a little later now that the other half of the "dynamic duo" has retired to the Afterlife League.  I'll join him there one day, but, I'm not ready to go just yet because, God willing, there a few more things I'd like to do here in this life.  That's really all any of us who love Penrod can do, isn't it?  Our best path to honoring Penrod's life is to somehow find in this experience the inspiration to live a better lives ourselves and to be a better friend to all those with whom our actions might not be too little too late.

So, Penrod -- thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life and part of the story of your life.  I love you as much or more than any friend I've ever had in my life.  Your death saddens me beyond description and I will face the countless regrets for not having spoken with you in so long with as much courage and dignity as I can.  But, I will never, never, ever forget you and I will remind everyone at every opportunity what a true friend you always were to me and what an enormous heart you had for your friends.

My prayers are with your brothers, your sister, your daughter and all your many friends who loved you as much and more than me.  When I transferred to Central City, I felt like I had to live up to your faith in me and I did my very best to live up to your expectations.  Now and for the rest of my life, I'll endeavor to do just that -- to live up to what I know you'd want for me, my life and for my family.

No better friend has any man ever had than John Penrod Eades! Goodbye, my friend, and may you forever experience whatever joy, peace and happiness that was missing for you here in this life!  I want to say so much more about you and one day I will... until then, please know how much I genuinely loved you and how much I will miss you!