Horrible News

Article In N&O today about Ringenberg

Charleston Southern U. Student from Apex killed...

and in same issue side by side story about the tragic death of an at App St. student
ASU Sophomore found dead


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Not real sure what the original intent of that statement was but I don't believe religion had anything to do with what happened and neither do I feel that people should take the opportunity such as this tragedy to attempt to deride Christians or religion in general. Pick another forum.

To the real point... I had the opportunity to work with Grant a couple of years ago along with several other Middle Creek players for several weeks during the winter. While I didn't get to know Grant on a personal level, he was an unassuming and respectful young man around me and obviously had a bright future at baseball and whatever he chose to pursue after college. These type of senseless actions are difficult and frustrating to figure out. Prayers and God's blessings go out to Grant's family.

 

Thanks forthat post... I had the opportunity to work with Gran this summer, a fine young man and a fierce competitor, also a funny guy that meshed well with this team. I will miss him greatly as will those who got to know him this summer...

 

I feel bad for the family of the kid who died but....

Killer goes to Christian school, supposed to be a God fearing, church attending, virgin model of society. Kinda ironic.

Im not the one who started it, "one of the ironies is this happened not at a State U, but at a "Christian" college." Braves did

 

I will stand by my statement. I'm not criticizing a religion nor condemning the school. In fact, the AD and I are very close friends. I just find it more shocking to have something like this happen there. But if it offends anyone, I am sorry. That was not my intention.

It is difficult to express all the emotions one goes through in something like this. Could this happen to your son? Why would a college educated young man do something like this? Why didn't the other people stop it? A lot of questions...a lot of concerns...but ultimately your heart breaks for the Ringenberg family and all the friends and supporters of Grant. It's just a senseless and cruel act.

 

12 hours in the car

Last July I got an e-mail from Grant, asking for a ride to the wwbc in Atlanta. I had never met the young man, only knew him from playing on the Impact team with my son. I gave him a call and told him if he could get to Greensboro he was more than welcome to ride with us. We met him at my shop and put his car inside and off we went. I was impressed that the young man wanted to go so bad that he was soliciting his own ride, even though we had never spoken. After six hours together, I quizzed him about everything from his school,baseball, family, etc. etc. The three of us hit it off really well and the trip to Atlanta flew by. I found him to be very well spoken, mannerly, respectful, and appreciative. He had reservations at a different hotel than us, so we checked on him during the week to make sure he was doing ok. He was under Coach Evans wing, I knew he was fine. The tourn. turned out to be the great wash-out of 2005. We met on Sunday and gave him a ride back to Greensboro. This young man was first class, you could tell he had a good home life and was nothing but the perfect guest. We helped him load up his little red Honda and off to Raleigh he went. I can remember thinking, this young man was going to do well at college. He handled himself well and he was going to do just fine......
We all send our kids away knowing that they will take their lumps. We pray they will land on their feet and be better for the experience. Deep in the back of our minds and hearts we all know these kind of things could happen to any of them. We just pray it doesnt.
For anyone who witnessed this and stood idly by, God help you, you know who you are. You will be haunted by your decision the rest of your life. For the Ringleburg family nothing will ever be the same.

 

I havent posted in quite a while but on this one I must. I agree Braves. It is "ironic" that this happened on a Christian college. That's all that was said. I agree. I am not tooting a horn - just agreeing that this is both ironic and tragic. A son lost his life. Another had his life drastically and forever stained. Parents are broken beyond belief. Many, many are hurt, angry, broken, despondent, etc. But be careful , very careful to start chunking stones. I am trying to make sense of this and explain it to an 18 year old college freshman ballplayer who could have easily been there and is deeply impacted by this all....

FYI
Remember, a Christian is not one who is perfect, has it all together, doesn't have flaws, or one who never fails. If you believe that about being a Christian I am sorry that you have been mis-informed, or worse, haven't studied for yourself, or haven't become one yourself.
The converse is actually true. We are of all people most desperate. We (Christians) are a fallen, flawed people. We know we fall short. We follow a Man, THE MAN, a perfect Man Yeshua the Christ who was condemned in a kangaroo court led by "religious" leaders, beaten beyond recognition by the military, condemend to death in a mock trial, executed by being nailed to a cross, bled to death, and was buried. The great news we Christians believe is He rose from the grave and conquered death so that we His followers - a motley, desperate crew of horribly imperfect humans, could trust His sacrifice for us to pay the penalty for our failures. Even tragic, mindless failures like this.
I don't toot my horn - I toot His!!!!!!!!!!

That this happened at a Christian school only emphasizes that all men are desperate for salvation. Desperate. There are none good. Not even one. Rather than throw stones we had all better pray. This breaks my heart, whether it happened where it did, or at any other campus. LIVES ARE LOST OR RUINED. MY HEART IS BROKEN. IS YOURS?????

If you want, I will be glad to discuss this off board and in private. Or you can come over to my house and we'll sit on the porch. Just drop the stones.

 

I hope I say this well: I feel badly for the Davis kid too. No way this kid is a "murderer" in the classic sense. I mean, what athlete hasn't been in a fight? The competitor comes out & rage takes over. Davis just lost it. Yea, the rest of us would like to think that we (or our son) would have backed off once the other guy was down, but the death blow may very well have been the first punch.

With a son who is a baseball freshman at a religious college, I can't help but think "There but for the grace of God goes I"...both ways. I could be the grief-stricken Dad of a victim or the victimizer. Both are devastating tragedies. I'm praying for everyone involved.

 

The last two posts are right on target.

 

Ouch!