(Aiden Binkley and Mark Sanchez. Photo Courtesy of ESPN New York and the Binkley family.)
Aiden Binkley was 11. ELEVEN. Somebody explain that to me – that a young boy is dead at 11 from cancer.
We’ll return to that in a moment.
First, to Mark Sanchez. Jets fans are going to complain about him occasionally. They’ll bemoan an interception, a fumble, and something else. He’ll perhaps screw up somehow in the spotlight – either on or off the field. Yet in this year (really, more than a year) of Jets’ miscues (Rex, Sal Alosi, old Brett Favre texts and on and on), how about taking a moment to recognize how terrific the organization was to this young man?
Most of all, Sanchez. Here he is texting the kid. Calling after the victory over the Steelers. Asking if he could come over to visit. Amazing, and I’m sorry – maybe I should be more of a skeptic – but I don’t think any of it is fake. I think Sanchez and the Jets felt they were doing the right thing, and not looking for publicity. If I’m wrong, then fine – well played. I don’t think I am.
Now back to Aiden. We’ve had this talk around these parts. Somebody is going to tell me that Aiden was needed by some mystical power somewhere else.
Bull crap. A family is heartbroken. Parents aren’t supposed to bury their 11 year-old. Two brothers aren’t supposed to be devastated by his loss. This isn’t supposed to happen.
From a very personal (fine, call it “selfish” if you want) perspective, this story both broke my heart and pissed me off.
I don’t even know know what more to write. It would simply be too dark.
My condolences go out to the Binkley family. Thanks to Rich Cimini for telling the story, and to Mark Sanchez and the Jets for giving a dying kid a dream come true.
And again, somebody explain to me how anyone can allow this to happen.
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