Originally posted on 09/25/2016:

This tragic event really hits home with me. I was good friends with Derrick Thomas and his death was a complete shock. I knew Derrick as a teenager and saw him become a beast on the football field. He was invincible, larger than life, a behemoth. I was in KC for his birthday on New Years, we had a huge picnic, his mom, Andre Rison's mom cooked up a feast for everyone. The very next day they lost to the Raiders eliminating them from the playoffs. 3 weeks later he was dead. Him and 2 buddies were driving in the snow. Derrick was speeding (100 mph) and weaving in and out of traffic on a slick road. They crashed. Derrick and 1 guy weren't wearing seatbelts and both were thrown out of the vehicle. the 1 guy was killed instantly. Derrick was paralyzed. The other guy wearing his seatbelt walked away from the accident without a scratch. 2 weeks later he died from a blood clot as a result on my sons birthday.

I really couldn't believe it. Why would this happen? Well Derrick's death actually saved hundreds of people's lives. People who use to never wear seat belts started wearing them because of his accident. Lamar Hunt's (owner of the Chiefs) wife use to never wear a seatbelt. She was in a bad car accident the very next month Derrick died and put it on as a result of his death. Experts said she would have died had she not had on her seat belt. Numerous stories like this happened in the coming months. It's hard to comprehend tragedies like this but hopefully it saves other people avoid similar boating accidents.