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Started By
Message
31 Years ago today, Joe Delaney died trying to save 3 boys
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:14 pm
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:14 pm
quote:
Delaney, a Chiefs running back who had spent two years in the NFL as of June 29, 1983, noticed that a trio of young boys had waded into a man-made water hole. It contained an unknown deep end, and they quickly were in trouble.
As Frank Deford, then of Sports Illustrated, later explained it, “There were all sorts of people around, but only Joe dashed to the pond. There was a little boy there. ‘Can you swim?’ he asked Joe.
“‘I can’t swim good,’ Joe said, ‘but I’ve got to save those kids. If I don’t come up, get somebody.’ And he rushed into the water.”
Delaney saved one of the boys. Two drowned. Delaney drowned, too.
Joe Delaney died at the age of 24, with a wife and three young girls.
LINK
12
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:17 pm to tduecen
There had to be some swimmers that witnessed that, yes?
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:17 pm to tduecen
Did not know about that. Thanks for posting.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:19 pm to BayouBandit24
Pretty awesome story of sacrifice, I know I've posted it the last 3 years. Dude gave up a lot to try and save others
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:25 pm to tduecen
Such a sad story and the kid he saved turned out to be a POS (at least at the time the DeFord article was written.)
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:26 pm to emoney
quote:
There had to be some swimmers that witnessed that, yes?
Yes, but even if you're a good swimmer, it's tough to jump in and save people. They freak out, and can drag you down with them. If you don't have the proper tools on you, there's a decent chance you're jumping in to your own death.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:28 pm to Jcorye1
Another poster in a thread yesterday said to break the victim's nose if you have nothing else.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:28 pm to tduecen
That's awful 
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:31 pm to johnnydrama
quote:
Such a sad story and the kid he saved turned out to be a POS (at least at the time the DeFord article was written.)
link?
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:39 pm to REG861
quote:Sorry about that. I was thinking of Rick Reilly article from 2003. LINK
quote:
Such a sad story and the kid he saved turned out to be a POS (at least at the time the DeFord article was written.)
link?
quote:
As much as you might hope that LeMarkits has done something with
the gift Delaney gave him, so far he hasn't. In an interview with
the Philadelphia Daily News two years ago, LeMarkits said he has
been tortured by the thought that he got to live and Harry
didn't. He said he made his mom sell Harry's bike, bed and toys.
He even burned Harry's clothes, as if fire could burn his brother
from his heart. But it never did. Thirty years old now, LeMarkits
got out of jail in May after serving time for distribution of
cocaine. There's still time for him to do something wonderful
with the life Delaney gave him. After all, Delaney was doing
wonderful things with the one he gave up.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:39 pm to LSUtoOmaha
quote:
Another poster in a thread yesterday said to break the victim's nose if you have nothing else.
That's pretty easy to say when you're not in the water with someone flipping out.
I've been on the drowning side of the situation (albeit I was young and the YMCA director had his head shoved up his arse) and pure panic is called that for a reason.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:55 pm to johnnydrama
Rick Riley can go frick himself with his high and mighty judgement of that kid.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:58 pm to Dr RC
quote:Yeah, I'm OK with that. I hate rick Reilly, too.
Rick Riley can go frick himself with his high and mighty judgement of that kid.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 2:00 pm to Dr RC
quote:but riley was right
Rick Riley can go frick himself with his high and mighty judgement of that kid.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 2:00 pm to tduecen
The ultimate sacrifice...respect man.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 3:58 pm to tduecen
I remember that day. I was a student at Northwestern State, off for the summer, but I had driven up to visit friends. I was hanging around the university radio station (I worked there my entire time at Northwestern), BSing with my buddies, when the news came over the AP teletype. Ripped it off the printer and read it immediately.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:05 pm to Rouge
quote:
but riley was right
Nah, he's a complete shithead to take a cheap shot like that at the guy.
The dude watched his brother drown and it clearly had a massive negative impact on him. Riley doesn't know what else he had to deal with in life either.
To wag a finger of disapproval at him in the middle of what should be nothing but a glowing piece on Delaney's selfless act is a trash POS move.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:24 pm to Dr RC
quote:
The dude watched his brother drown and it clearly had a massive negative impact on him.
No denying this is to be the case (or an excuse) but it still doesn't take away that he was given a second chance and thus far has squandered it.
quote:
To wag a finger of disapproval at him in the middle of what should be nothing but a glowing piece on Delaney's selfless act is a trash POS move.
I think it's more or less just telling the whole story and basically saying that Delany gave up his life to save this kid and the guy has done nothing with it in 30 years. Sure he has fought with the loss of his brother but he is shitting all over the sacrifice Delany made at the same time too.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:25 pm to tduecen
As a guy growing up around Chief's fans, surprised I have never heard this story. What a courageous act.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:32 pm to LSUtoOmaha
quote:
Another poster in a thread yesterday said to break the victim's nose if you have nothing else.
We were told in my lifeguard class to do something like this if necessary. Not sure if that was standard teaching though
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