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Charlie Sheen: What does his spectacle say about society? B1
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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2011
Honoring Wes Leonard
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PRESS PHOTO/CORY OLSEN
One family in tragedy: Mitchell Leonard, center, Wes Leonard’s brother, huddles with Fennville High School basketball players Monday before the start of the Class C District playoff game.
FENNVILLE-LAWRENCE GAME SHOWS THE BEST OF SPORTS IN DIFFICULT TIME
H
OLLAND — For a moment, all stood still. A tight-knit community, banded together by tragedy, surrounded its undefeated basketball team still stung by grief.
The moment of silence lasted just 24 seconds Monday night. But to the people of Fennville, everything that happened in the past five days was wrapped into those fleeting moments inside Hope College’s DeVos Fieldhouse. The standing-room-only crowd was on its feet. Most clad in black and orange, their heads were bowed. Many wept. It took just seconds to feel what 16-year-old Wes Leonard’s death has been about for the past several days. They stopped to recognize the loss of an exceptional studentathlete and rally around those who experienced such emotion. “Our community has been on a journey through shock, grief and
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NOWAK
PRESS PHOTO/EMILY ZOLADZ
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL sorrow, but this gathering, we hope, is one more step in the healing process,” Fennville Superintendent Dirk Weeldryer said to the crowd. “Tonight, we seek to honor Wes’ memory by participating in a game he loved. We’re not sure what the outcome of the game Wes Leonard will be, but we’re glad that we could be here as one extended family to experience it together. “Now, we know that Wes is here with us, too.” What the crowd witnessed Monday night was, in a small way, what the community of about 1,400 had been dealing with since Leonard’s collapse on the basketball court last Thursday. It was a moment for Wes Leonard.
Bittersweet victory: From left, Fennville’s Kyle Carter, Eddie Cameros and Shane Bale embrace after winning their Class C District playoff game against Lawrence, 65-54, Monday night at Hope College without their star player, Wes Leonard, who died of a heart attack Thursday. More coverage in Sports, C1.
Crowd swells to show its support BY HEIDI FENTON THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
HOLLAND — Emotions ran high Monday night at Fennville High School’s first basketball game since the death of star player Wes Leonard — both excitement for the success of a team Leonard believed in, and the deep sorrow that marked his absence. As Leonard’s parents, Gary and Jocelyn, were seated in the Fennville fan section following a dinner with the two teams, they were immediately surrounded by close friends and family. Jim Leonard, Wes’ uncle, said the couple was “overwhelmed, to say the least,” by the outpouring of support. SEE CROWD, A2
SEE LEONARD, A2
PRESS PHOTO/EMILY ZOLADZ
Well-wishers: Jocelyn Leonard, the mother of Wes Leonard, gets a hug from family friend Travis Grigg, of Fennville, during Monday’s game.
Cell phone credited with catching gun at school Student texted mom, who alerted officials about weapon on bus BY JOHN TUNISON THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
WYOMING — School administrators sometimes frown upon students bringing cell phones to school, but they say one student’s quick texting proved valuable in stopping an 11-year-old boy from bringing an unloaded .22-caliber handgun into school Monday. “This is one of those times where, absolutely, technology was very school-friendly for us,” Godwin Heights Schools Superintendent Jon Felske said. A student on a bus Monday morning sent a text message to his mother, telling her another student had a gun in his backpack. The mother called Godwin Heights Middle School, and school officials were waiting for the bus to arrive so they could confiscate the weapon. Police expect to refer the fifth-grade boy to Kent County juvenile court. He apparently was planning to bring the gun inside the school. He had shown
©2011, The Grand Rapids Press
it to other students as they waited at a bus stop. The boy was suspended, pending an expulsion hearing. Felske said a student’s possession of a dangerous weapon on school property requires an expulsion of at least 90 school days, in compliance with state law. He said it did not appear the boy had malicious intent. Wyoming Police interviewed the boy and his parents at the school. The state’s “dangerous weapon” law differs depending on a student’s age: a 180-day expulsion for students in the sixth grade and older but a lesser 90day expulsion for younger students. In this case, the student’s family can petition for reinstatement after 60 days, but he must be out of school for 90 days. Felske said an expulsion hearing before the school board will be scheduled within two weeks. While he has handled other cases of students bringing weapons to school, he said a fifth-grader may be the youngest he has seen. Cell phones, while not allowed in class, proved useful in this case, Felske said. “It’s a great reason to have technology like this,” he said. E-mail: jtunison@grpress.com
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Cut ’em out: Paczki are cut out of dough to be fried Monday afternoon at Marge’s Donut Den. The bakery makes 12 varieties of the treats.
Paczki and healthy? In the same sentence?
Dietitians find it hard to argue with tradition BY SUE THOMS THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
GRAND RAPIDS — So many things can be said about paczki, the fruitfilled Polish doughnut that is a preLent tradition for many. They’re sweet. They’re soft. They’re gooey.
Region..........................A3 Sports........................... C1 TV/Weather ................ B6 Your Life.......................B1
But there’s no way they’re healthy, right? Even the owner of Marge’s Donut Den laughs at the question. “About the only thing healthy about it is you have to fast on Ash Wednesday,” Marge Wilson said. “But if you’re going to indulge just one day, it’s not going to hurt that much.” Many customers obviously agree: Wilson expects to sell 15,000 paczki at her Wyoming bakery today. Two local dietitians asked about the nutritional aspects of paczki gave measured responses. They didn’t
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PRESS PHOTOS/ADAM BIRD
Pack ’em up: Marge Wilson boxes paczki at Marge’s Donut Den in Wyoming. The Polish pastries are a local Fat Tuesday tradition.
extoll the health benefits of fried balls of dough, but they clearly didn’t want to rain on anyone’s paczki parade. “Obviously, they’re filled with sugar, fat and lard,” said Amy Bragagnini, a registered dietitian at Saint Mary’s Health Care. (For the record, the Donut Den fries theirs in vegetable oil.) “But I don’t tell people they have to avoid them.” The key to a healthy diet — on
SEE PACZKI, A2
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TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2011
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LEONARD
CROWD ‘YOU WANT TO BE EXCITED ABOUT THE GAME, BUT IT’S HARD’
THIS WAS NOT JUST A GAME
CONTINUED FROM A1
“I don’t know how they can describe the feelings of the sorrow that they’re going through,” he said, “but on the same hand, the love and the support from not just the Fennville community, but all of West Michigan and their friends and family back home in (Kansas).” Hundreds crowded into the lobby of Hope College’s DeVos Fieldhouse, some as early as 1:30 p.m. Anne Bakker, ticket manager at Hope College, said 400 tickets made available to the general public were sold out in 15 minutes. More than 3,400 fans crowded into the 7 p.m. game. Bernard Geerling, 67, was among the first in line, just after 1 p.m., with his friend, Carole Riddering. Although he never had a chance to meet Leonard, Geerling said he couldn’t miss the game after days of hearing stories of the teen’s life and community impact. “You want to be excited about the game, but it’s hard to be,” Riddering said, looking around at the crowd gathered, waiting to enter. Fans traveled from all over the state and the country — some from as far as Leonard’s former home state of Kansas. Holly Gaylord knew the Leonards for years before the family moved to Michigan six years ago with their two sons, Wes and Mitchell. Although the Leonards no longer lived in Baldwin City, Kan., Gaylord said the news of Wes Leonard’s death came as a painful shock to the city of about 3,300 people. “I couldn’t even hardly get the bags packed because we had people knocking on the door, calling and text messaging,” she said, estimating about 50 people made the drive to Michigan from the Baldwin City and Kansas City area. “We still feel like they are part of our community, too.” In the days since arriving in Michigan, Gaylord said the amount of food and wellwishers at the Leonard home has been overwhelming. She and others took pictures of a
CONTINUED FROM A1
AP PHOTO
Full house: A sold-out crowd watches Fennville play Lawrence on Monday at Hope College’s DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland. More photos, A9.
line outside the visitation at Fennville United Methodist Church on Sunday, just so Wes Leonard’s parents could have a sense for how strongly others felt for their son. Gaylord watched as Wes Leonard’s younger brother was continually embraced throughout the weekend. “The team has taken him under their wing. He’s been doing everything with Wes’ friends and his friends,” she said. “The type of family they are and the type of kid Wes was — that’s why it’s nationwide.” Many Lawrence fans came to the game with conflicting feelings. The team was rallying for a win but also knew what Fennville fans were facing, those in the crowd said. Before the game, Lawrence players wore the same black warm-up shirts with Leonard’s name and number on them that the Fennville players wore. A banner hanging on the wall in the Fennville fan section stood as a memorial to Wes Leonard and included messages and the signatures of several Lawrence fans. Others joined in Fennville cheers and wore wristbands in Wes Leonard’s honor. “We wanted to support them
PRESS PHOTO/EMILY ZOLADZ
Emotional moment: Fennville students clasp their hands in anticipation during Monday night’s game.
as much as we can, and we felt like by giving them some sense of normalcy in coming here to cheer on the teams, we could help them heal,” said Nicole Carpp, a 17-year-old senior at Lawrence High. “The way both teams respected each other, there was just that camaraderie. They were both trying to move forward.” Cody Crane, a 2005 Fennville High School graduate and former member of the basketball team, said he was encouraged by the way both teams worked together. Crane said he had
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MICHIGAN LOTTERY
Here are the results from Monday: Midday Daily 3: 287 Midday Daily 4: 3578 Daily 3: 441 Daily 4: 0897 Fantasy 5: 14, 22, 34, 35, 38 Keno: 1, 9, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 29, 38, 42, 45, 46, 48, 53, 56, 59, 61, 66, 68, 69, 70, 75 Today’s Fantasy 5 jackpot is worth $100,000. Today’s Mega Millions jackpot is worth $127 million. Wednesday’s Classic Lotto 47 jackpot is worth $3.75 million. Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot is worth $40 million.
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been grieving Wes Leonard’s loss along with the team all weekend. “Lawrence deserves a standing ovation for what they did. For them to give up the home court advantage and to wear the shirts they wore, and the wristbands — that’s pure class,” he said. “It’s been a tough week for the guys, but they played their hearts out. “They did not want to lose this game. They wanted to win it for Wes.”
AMERICANS INDULGE TOO MUCH CONTINUED FROM A1
Fat Tuesday or any other day — is balance, she said. It’s a philosophy she preaches so often, she had the word “balance” tattooed on her wrist. “Remember, it’s important the rest of the day to include a lot of healthy fruits and vegetables and include a lot of whole grains,” Bragagnini said. “And get some exercise, maybe.” Bragagnini doesn’t plan to eat paczki today. She has never had one, in part because she doesn’t want to add one more thing to her list of favorite indulgences — birthday cake and wedding cake top her list. The nutritional facts of paczki are hard to pin down because the size and ingredients vary. Spectrum Health registered dietitian Jill Graybill said they have 400 to 700 calories and 25 grams of fat or more. That’s roughly a third of the calories and fat recommended in a healthy 1,800- to 2,000-calorie daily diet. Graybill confessed she is not fond of paczki. But she said a once-a-year tradition in itself
doesn’t make a diet unhealthy. The problem is, American culture seems to find an excuse to indulge in a sweet treat on a regular basis. Think Christmas holidays, Valentine’s Day, Fat Tuesday, Easter ... “If you’re eating a healthy diet day to day, and you want to eat a paczki, OK,” Graybill said. “But if you’re finding an excuse to eat something high in fat every day, that’s more the problem, not the fact that you’re eating paczki one day.” At Marge’s Donut Den, Wilson likely will burn a few calories keeping customers supplied with paczki. She planned to work from 2 a.m. to 10 p.m., making and selling a dozen varieties of the pastries, including the traditional ones with prune filling. Wilson, an Italian American, did not grow up with paczki, but she is happy to embrace the Polish tradition. In the past couple of years, Fat Tuesday became the bakery’s busiest holiday of the year. E-mail: sthoms@grpress.com
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It was a moment for Fennville. “Wes was like a brother to us,” Fennville junior Xavier Grigg said. “We were all family, and we knew that he would want us to come out here and win another game to keep our streak alive. That’s just what we felt he wanted. We decided to come out and do it.” Time will, of course, go on after Fennville’s 65-54 win against nearby Lawrence — which volunteered to move the game to Hope — extending the Blackhawks’ season record to 21-0. Leonard’s death, which came suddenly Thursday after the two-sport star scored the game-winning basket in Fennville’s final regularseason game, will weigh on his teammates’ minds when they suit up again Wednesday. But for one night, away from memorial services and media requests, the Fennville boys basketball team had 32 minutes to remember their teammate. A life is too vast to fit on a hardwood floor. It can’t be broken into four regulation quarters, and it features more than 10 players at a time. And wins and losses — well, it’s just more complicated than that. But basketball sometimes — although a game of such simple practice — can feel the same weight as that unpredictable game of life. This week has been hard on Fennville. It has been unspeakably difficult on the Leonard family, and excruciating for Wes Leonard’s friends and teammates. But in times of tragedy, people need a respite. Sometimes, in the game of life, when you feel like you’re losing, you call a timeout. And you sub in the game of basketball. Sometimes, as Leonard’s teammates decided Saturday and demonstrated Monday night, you just need to go out and play. “Yesterday, being the day with all the visitation, I think
PRESS PHOTO/EMILY ZOLADZ
Joining in the support: A little girl dressed as a Fennville cheerleader holds up a sign that reads “We are Fennville family” during Monday night’s game against Lawrence at Hope College.
the basketball court became kind of a refuge for them,” Weeldryer said. “It allowed them to feel that sense of normalcy that for so much of the last 72 hours, they hadn’t felt.” Well, not quite normal yet. A sell-out crowd of 3,472 people — more than the estimated population of the two towns combined, after Fennville sold 2,000 advance tickets — for a firstround Class C playoff game is not normal. Nearly 100 credentials issued to media from around the country hardly is commonplace. A little bit of normalcy, however, was what Fennville coach Ryan Klingler was looking for at the beginning of Monday’s game. The Blackhawks sent four players to center court for the opening tip, before the buzzer sounded just before the jump ball. In came the fifth player. He was symbolically subbing in for Leonard. “That’s the respect that Wes had from all of us,” Klingler said. “We were not going to forget about him.” E-mail: sports@grpress.com
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