The Bear Died 35 Years Ago Today

I was in the 5th grade when Coach Bryant died.  I was walking out of my school in Huntsville, Al when i first heard the news of Bear's death.  I remember the school bell ringing and hearing kids shouting in the hall, "The Bear is Dead, The Bear is Dead!"

I remember being confused as i prepared to walk home like did each day.  Everybody was talking about Coach Bryant's passing and honestly i didn't believe it until i saw my mom's car.  I remember her face as i got close and I knew it was true.  My mom's eyes were watery and she said, "I just wanted to be here and I heard those kids but it's true Coach Bryant had a heart attack and he died."  You know those moments in life when you kinda stare at a spec on a windshield for a long time for no reason?  Well, thats what i remember doing.

My mom simply turned up the radio and we listened as the announcer said, "It's a sad day in Alabama, The Bear has died today, less than a month since his resignation at Bama!"  When we got home I went straight to my room and cried really hard.  I had just met my hero named Walter Lewis the week before and i remember wondering if he too were crying.  35 years later, I now know many cried that day, January 26, 1983.

Today, this newspaper hangs next to my TV as I watch the Tide ROLL! #WildBillShow