A FATHER'S WISH

When I was in college, I had many wacky cronies, and right at the top of the pile was TB, a basketball player I got to know when he was my neighbor and co-worker on the school newspaper staff. He was cute, witty, brash, and, at times, outrageous beyond belief. When he lost his job as a member of the chain gang for football games because of his long hair, he organized a halftime protest and a sit-in at the local newspaper office. He once orchestrated the “kidnapping” of a large piece of school mascot sculpture, thought to be anchored down on campus, taking off with it in the back of his Pontiac GTO. He wrote ransom notes to the college and eventually drew a map to its location---a wheat field in a neighboring county. The mascot was recovered unharmed.

After he decided to grow up, TB became a teacher and coach in a big city school, settled down, got married, became a father, got divorced, and through it all we somehow remained friends, although long distant ones. His ex-wife got custody of their daughter, Lyric, but TB saw her every chance he got and was totally nuts about her. She grew into a beautiful young lady, was bright enough to attend Yale, and graduated with a degree in theatre arts in 2002.

Lyric then decided to move to New York City to seek an acting career. TB would email friends whenever she was on TV…soap opera stuff and stints on a Comedy Central show. He instructed us to write the networks to demand more air time for the blonde beauty appearing in whatever show she happened to be taping. He was a proud and enthusiastic dad who had high hopes that one day she would be a star.

The dream ended on April 25, 2003. That’s when Lyric’s ex-boyfriend, who had been stalking her, followed her home and shot her in the face in front of her apartment building before killing himself. Maybe you heard about it on TV, as the tragedy was recounted on several networks. With the ending of Lyric’s brief life, TB’s own life was forever changed. His only child was gone. How could this happen? Why did this happen? I sent TB a sympathy card and letter and wondered if I would ever hear from him again.

I did. The only way TB could deal with his grief was to create something positive from his loss. His ex-wife and he saw to it that Lyric lived on. In her death, she became an organ donor and five lives were saved. TB established a non-profit organization, Lyric of Life, which promotes organ donations and supplies financial support to donor and recipient families. A theatre scholarship is also given in Lyric’s name every year. Tonight is the Sixth Lyric of Life Fund-raiser in Kansas City.

Once upon a time, TB’s boundless energy was spent cruising on the crazy side of life. Now, he is devoted to raising money and helping to improve the lives of others, since his daughter never got the chance to fulfill her own potential.

If you would like to learn more about Lyric Marie Benson, go to lyricoflife.org and click on the butterfly.