Love or hate the Riders, you gotta like this story and have to give the Riders some respect. It just shows how world-class the CFL really is.
Special visit by CFL's holy grail
The Leader-Post (Regina)
Wed 02 Jan 2008
Page: C5
Section: Sports
Byline: Rob Vanstone
Source: Leader-Post
An unforgettable 2007 Grey Cup house party was held five weeks after
the game.
The CFL's championship trophy paid a visit to the Lawrence residence
in Regina on Sunday evening, and into Monday morning. The Cup, won by
the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Nov. 25, was brought to the Westhill
home in memory of Erin Lawrence.
"It was quite the shock,'' said Jared Lawrence, Erin's 18-year-old
brother. "When the Cup came in, I saw my sister.''
Erin passed away Aug. 6 -- one day shy of her 21st birthday. Nine days
earlier, Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph had visited Erin at the
Pasqua Hospital.
"After he and Yo Murphy brought Erin a game ball, Kerry promised Erin
the Grey Cup,'' recalled Luke Lawrence, Erin's father.
"Do you believe what's happened? It was incredible to hold the Grey
Cup and touch it. It's almost like a relationship with the Cup because
of the way it was promised to Erin. You can't put it into words. It's
a bittersweet thing.''
Shortly after Erin's death, Joseph was presented with an `` Love
Erin'' wristband, which he wore for the remainder of the season. The
Roughriders quarterback, who would be named the CFL's outstanding
player in 2007, also displayed Erin's obituary in his locker.
"It touched my heart to see her spirit,'' Joseph said during an
interview with the Leader-Post on Oct. 3.
Three weeks later, Jared Lawrence underwent surgery in Calgary to
remove his stomach. Surgery was recommended after doctors concluded he
had a 67-per-cent likelihood of developing the identical form of
incurable stomach cancer that had claimed his sister. After Erin died,
doctors discovered that Jared had inherited the gene for hereditary
diffused gastric cancer.
Jared underwent testing for the gene in Saskatoon following Erin's
death. He would become the youngest person to undergo the type of
surgery that removed his stomach. The surgery was painful and it could
take up to a year for Jared to fully recover but, as he put it
matter-of-factly, "it beats getting cancer.''
Because Jared does not have a stomach, his food goes directly to his
small bowels and small intestines. In effect, Jared is lacking a
container in which to store and metabolize food. As a result, he has
to eat more frequently than before while consuming smaller portions.
The adjustment is eased by the knowledge that the inconveniences are
preferable to the alternative. If not for Erin's condition, the family
would not have been alerted to Jared's susceptibility to the lethal
disease.
"I owe her my life,'' Jared said. "She's my biggest role model.''
Jared was to begin police studies at the University of Regina this
past autumn, but the medical situation forced a postponement. He will
now begin his studies next week.
"My son ... I am so proud of that young man,'' Luke marvelled. "He's
going to make one heck of a good officer. He's gone through a lot, but
he's as tough as nails.''
Consider what the family has gone through. Jared's mother, Rosemary,
died in 1991 at age 29 of the same disease with which Erin would be
stricken. After Erin was diagnosed with cancer, it became apparent
that she had the same form of gastric cancer that her mother had
battled.
"Little did I know that in 2007 that lighting could strike down my
family twice,'' said Luke Lawrence, a father of two.
Little did he know that 2007 would end on a happier note.
"Things happen for a reason,'' said Luke, who is planning to write a
book about the family's experiences with the hope of raising awareness
of this rare form of genetic cancer.
"I bumped into a friend of mine, Ron Shatkowski, a few days ago. He's a
businessman and he knows a lot of people. I just said, 'Ron, if you want
to do me a favour sometime, do you think there's a chance we could get
our hands on the Grey Cup for my son and in honour of Erin?'''
Shatkowski is well-acquainted with Tony Playter, the Roughriders'
football operations co-ordinator. A few well-placed phone calls later,
Playter had arranged for the trophy to visit the Lawrences after all its
other scheduled stops on Sunday.
The doorbell rang around 10 p.m. A 30-minute visit had been planned, but
the Cup remained at the Lawrences' abode until 1 a.m. Playter encouraged
Luke to share the Cup with as many friends as possible, so more phone
calls were made.
"Tony said, 'The Grey Cup belongs to the people,' and, boy, did they put
it in our living room,'' Luke said. "He said the time was ours.''
Upon the Grey Cup's arrival, Erin's photo was placed near the trophy.
Her Roughriders jersey, autographed by Joseph and inscribed "I Love You,
Erin,'' was hung from the CFL's grail. At one point, roughly 20 friends,
family members and neighbours were in the Lawrences' living room, ogling
the Cup, drinking from it, and taking photographs.
Everyone had been forewarned ... with one notable exception.
"I was at my grandparents' house,'' Jared said. "Dad said I had to be
home by 10 because there was a surprise coming. When I got home, there
were some extra chairs in the living room, so I figured someone was
coming.''
That "someone'' was a trophy of some charm.
Jared could boast of football championships of his own. In 2005, he
helped the Riffel Royals win the city and provincial 4A high school
football titles. He caught a touchdown pass in the 2005 provincial
final as Riffel defeated the Saskatoon Holy Cross Crusaders 56-21 on
Taylor Field.
But that experience, as much as it is cherished, could not prepare
Jared or his father for a house call by the Grey Cup.
"Erin didn't live to see this happen,'' Luke said. "It was an honour
for her. It's an honour for myself and my son and in memory of my
daughter. I can't put into words how special this has been to us.
"I wish I could have my daughter back, but you can't change the facts.
What people have done in honour of my daughter is priceless.
"This is an amazing story of Kerry Joseph and Erin Lawrence and how
they have come together with the Grey Cup. It's the final chapter.''
