I just transcribed some audio regarding Larkin, so I thought I'd post it here before writing the story....
Fitz
One of the most inspirational speeches I’ve ever heard from a young man. His attitude is absolutely inspiring and it’s not a surprise. A challenging week or so for he and his family
Identifying an issue that hopefully avoided anything down the road that could have been, quite frankly, catastrophic from an injury standpoint. So Lark’s courage to speak up that something wasn’t right started this.
I’m ecstatic that he’s going to join the staff. He was adamant that it wasn’t the end today, that it was just a new chapter. His attitude was awesome. The guys gave him a standing ovation. Everybody was really fired up. Turned a negative into a positive and he’ll be a student assistant for a couple years and then maybe a GA down the road.
Difficult but something, I think, that will bring the team together. We’ve dealt with adversity in the past. Typically our guys have banded together because of it.
Everybody. Guys will step up. A year ago, it was tough when we lost Keith. Guys stepped up…
We’ve dealt with injury issues in the past and it’s the next guy’s opportunity. I think we’ve recruited well at the position.
I expect the guys to be their best. That’s it.
Thorson
He didn’t want us to feel bad for him. Really, he told me today, he’s really blessed that doctor’s caught this….
He was really thankful that they found it. He’s in a much better spot now.
He was like, It happened…let’s move on.
Butler
That’s who Lark is. He’s a big part of this team. He’s a great leader. Even though he’s a guy that’s relatively young in terms of playing, but that’s just who he is. Great guy, great teammate.
Gaziano
It was a special moment for our team in that we lose a very special player. I had no idea about the struggles he was going through. I learned about it this morning, so I was just as stunned as you guys were. But testament to his character the way he stood up in front of the team and addressed us….
His outlook on his life going forward and how it’s not going to end. He’s just opening up a new chapter and he’s looking to help this team any way possible even though he’s not going to be on the field with us, which was truly inspiring for all of us.
Fisher
I think the way he handled it was something that I couldn’t even do, so that inspires me. I look up to the way he handled it, that he looked upon that as a very positive thing, despite the repercussion that he’s not able to play.
The way that he handled it was eye-opening…It was really awesome to see.
Spirits were high this weekend, watching football…
Gaziano
I think it’s a very hard thing to put your hand up and say, ‘I’m not right, I’m not physically right to play football.’ This is a game that Paddy and I both have experienced the majority of our life and leaned on in hard times, and to take yourself away from that willingly, is a difficult choice to make and I applaud him for being able to do that.
But it also, internally, makes me think, it could have been me. So why not go out on Saturday and play as hard as I can for my brothers because who knows the next day that I’m going to step out on the field.
We play for all the brothers in the room, so he’s one of them included.
Fisher
There will be certain fire that every guy has this week for Lark, and continue moving forward.
Fitz
One of the most inspirational speeches I’ve ever heard from a young man. His attitude is absolutely inspiring and it’s not a surprise. A challenging week or so for he and his family
Identifying an issue that hopefully avoided anything down the road that could have been, quite frankly, catastrophic from an injury standpoint. So Lark’s courage to speak up that something wasn’t right started this.
I’m ecstatic that he’s going to join the staff. He was adamant that it wasn’t the end today, that it was just a new chapter. His attitude was awesome. The guys gave him a standing ovation. Everybody was really fired up. Turned a negative into a positive and he’ll be a student assistant for a couple years and then maybe a GA down the road.
Difficult but something, I think, that will bring the team together. We’ve dealt with adversity in the past. Typically our guys have banded together because of it.
Everybody. Guys will step up. A year ago, it was tough when we lost Keith. Guys stepped up…
We’ve dealt with injury issues in the past and it’s the next guy’s opportunity. I think we’ve recruited well at the position.
I expect the guys to be their best. That’s it.
Thorson
He didn’t want us to feel bad for him. Really, he told me today, he’s really blessed that doctor’s caught this….
He was really thankful that they found it. He’s in a much better spot now.
He was like, It happened…let’s move on.
Butler
That’s who Lark is. He’s a big part of this team. He’s a great leader. Even though he’s a guy that’s relatively young in terms of playing, but that’s just who he is. Great guy, great teammate.
Gaziano
It was a special moment for our team in that we lose a very special player. I had no idea about the struggles he was going through. I learned about it this morning, so I was just as stunned as you guys were. But testament to his character the way he stood up in front of the team and addressed us….
His outlook on his life going forward and how it’s not going to end. He’s just opening up a new chapter and he’s looking to help this team any way possible even though he’s not going to be on the field with us, which was truly inspiring for all of us.
Fisher
I think the way he handled it was something that I couldn’t even do, so that inspires me. I look up to the way he handled it, that he looked upon that as a very positive thing, despite the repercussion that he’s not able to play.
The way that he handled it was eye-opening…It was really awesome to see.
Spirits were high this weekend, watching football…
Gaziano
I think it’s a very hard thing to put your hand up and say, ‘I’m not right, I’m not physically right to play football.’ This is a game that Paddy and I both have experienced the majority of our life and leaned on in hard times, and to take yourself away from that willingly, is a difficult choice to make and I applaud him for being able to do that.
But it also, internally, makes me think, it could have been me. So why not go out on Saturday and play as hard as I can for my brothers because who knows the next day that I’m going to step out on the field.
We play for all the brothers in the room, so he’s one of them included.
Fisher
There will be certain fire that every guy has this week for Lark, and continue moving forward.
