| This is Melissa's account of the breakfast with Brian. Please don't use it anywhere else without asking permission first. Thank you. Let me just say that this experience was something that I never thought would happen. Barely six weeks ago the idea of attending this event was only a mere thought in passing as something that would be wonderful to do, but impossible to accomplish. But miracles do happen and I was fortunate to be a part of a truly once in a lifetime experience. I couldn�t eat Friday evening and got very little sleep. My stomach kept churning and flipping every time I thought about meeting Brian the next morning. I was up early and I continually kept telling myself to breathe to try and ease my anxiousness. The morning was rainy but it didn�t dampen the spirit of the group gathered outside the ESPN Zone though. I was disappointed that Leighanne was not able to be present, but under the circumstances it was best for her to stay at home due to the imminence of the baby�s due date. And that was before we found out that it could be earlier than either Brian and Leighanne anticipated. They are all very excited especially since it will be Jackie and Harold�s first grandchild. And even though Brian said he gained 20 pounds, you couldn�t really see it. It is hard to describe the feeling I had when I actually saw Brian. It felt like a dream sequence and that it wasn�t really happening to me, and I would wake up to disappointment. The minutes moved slowly. There are so many memories�like how he pretended to trip on his way down the stairs, to his silly faces, and funny voices, to his pride in becoming a daddy (and beating out his brother!). To the way he looked you right in the eyes when he spoke to you (and those eyes, they were almost piercing at times) and when he sang a cappella and his voice just filled the room with its clear tones. To shedding some tears as the video showed pictures of him in the hospital as a young boy and giving his mom a warm hug before he left at the end of the event. He showed his competitive spirit too while playing the games, but when he tossed the football with a five-year-old boy, you should have seen him. Coaching the little guy and giving him pointers...it was a peek at what he will be like with his own son. I just seemed content to gaze on him. He was in touching distance so many times and as much as I would have loved to reach out and grab him, I gave him his space. He had one security guard, who looked like a Secret Service Agent, and although the fans would gather around Brian, there were always ESPN staff and HHC personnel surrounding him. Yet he seemed so relaxed with the crowd, smiling, laughing, telling jokes and making comments and at times even showing off. He was our Brian and he just confirmed for me everything I have always thought about him. There is no falseness about him. What you see is what you get. He is a combination of both Jackie and Harold, and they are truly proud of him and I think amazed at the outpouring of love from the fans. When I met Jackie she held my hands so tight and two hours later she even remembered me and my story. She is so precious and as we watched the HHC video and it related the story of Brian� stay at St. Joe�s when he was five years old and the pictures of him flashed across the screen, she rubbed his back and you could feel the love between them. I talked UK football with his dad for a few minutes at the end of the event and he said this was the first time he had been to anything like this and was overwhelmed by the love and generosity of the fans. I can only reiterate that the man gives fantastic hugs and none of this �just upper body� touching either. He stepped right up and took hold of me and I took full advantage and wrapped my arms around him too. It was sheer heaven and yet he was totally real. He personalized my invitation and I told him how happy I was about the baby. He said they were very excited. I was just so blown away by the whole experience. I think for me, just being in his presence was enough. At times I sit and think back on some small detail from the morning and still marvel that I was really there. Brandon and his staff did a wonderful job of organizing and planning the morning but still managed to make us all have a good time without feeling any restrictions. And Brian, Jackie and Harold opened themselves to all of us making us feel like very close friends. For a few brief hours we were privileged to spend some time with a family who truly loves each other and in turn spreads their love and warmth to those around them. It was an experience I will never forget. Melissa |