Miller: Vigil leaves lingering question



Miller: Vigil leaves lingering question

Canyon High School football players pay tribute to their fellow player Mitch Cook during a candlelight vigil Saturday night at Canyon High School. Mitch Cook died after collapsing following warm-ups for freshman football practice Wednesday.

AHAHEIM – None of this makes sense.

Not someone drawing his final breath as a kid, only 14.

Not a kid dying doing what kids are supposed to do, playing a game.

Not death coming in a game that has become increasingly violent but, in this case, apparently included no violence at all.

Mitchell Cook collapsed after warming up before football practice Wednesday and died later that night.

Medical science eventually will answer the question of how this happened. Nothing, however, can supply the why.

That's a matter of the spirit, of individual beliefs, an answer that exists deeper than even science can dig.

So they did what they could do Saturday night, gathering at Canyon High for the vigil of an incoming freshman who never had the chance to attend his new school, to meet his new friends. Classes are set to begin Aug. 21.

Players from schools like El Dorado, Villa Park and Yorba Linda showed up in their jerseys. So, too, did a group from Orange Lutheran, wearing their red tops, the ones with the small white crosses on the back.

Two girls arrived in soccer uniforms. A woman had a T-shirt that read "Tustin Football." Kids in varsity jackets stuffed their hands in the pockets of their jeans, kicked at the ground and wondered what to do next.

"No one can prepare you for this," Mitchell's father, Jim, told the crowd. "I'm really happy that everyone is here tonight. Take care of your kids. Understand how fragile life is because I can tell you this is going to be the toughest time of my life coming up."

Canyon's football players — two of them on crutches and one with his wrist in a brace — lined the entrance, handing out candles. The sun was setting. So was the mood.

There were silent hugs, gentle fist bumps and empty smiles. It was very tender in appearance and then the most poignant image of all was seen. Resting against a post was the skateboard someone had ridden here to mourn.

"I'd just like to thank everyone for all the support," Mitchell's older brother, Matt, said. "It would be a lot harder without all of you."

The news surfaced Wednesday night, in the form of a prayer chain. Canyon High varsity coach Jim Kunau sent an email asking for spiritual support. The email announcing Mitchell's passing arrived 12 hours later.


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