Link: Heartbreaking article re: Altee Tenpenny

[bvandegraff]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/10/family_and_friends_believe_alt.html#incart_river

Sad as this story is, it was gratifying to see that Coach Saban wanted Altee to stay at Bama and work through his problems. Contrast that with the UNLV coach who kicked him off the team for being late to a meeting just to make an example of him. I mean, isn't Saban supposed to be the hard-nosed martinet?

 

[IBUY]

This brought tears. So sad to see a young man headed down the path of self destruction...and then to lose his life just as he was trying to straighten it out...

 

[CB4]

There are things Nick Saban has done to help players after they have been dismissed or left the program that people have absolutely no idea about. Things that never get reported.

Muhsin Muhammad that played for Saban at Michigan State will tell you that if it hadn't been for Saban he would have been dead or in jail.

It appears CNS did everything he could to try to reach Altee. And the sad thing is that sometimes you can't, and young people die.

My heart breaks.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I feel better. I feel that he probably did drift off to sleep. I've done it once and a gadget named "Doze Alert" saved my life...

 

[PaulD]

"Nick's Kids Foundation, established by Alabama coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry, made a donation for that service, according to an administrator for the Gaines Street Baptist Church. More than $20,000 was raised for the funeral through a GoFundMe account, and Bolding said in a Facebook post $8,000 was donated by Saban's foundation."

 

[Chukker Veteran]

It sounds like his funeral served to lay him to rest, but also served to encourage others to not make foolish mistakes in their life, especially when young. So that's to the good.

I've been to many funerals over the years, but never one that lasted four hours, or even close to that length.

 

[tmv85]

I feel better. I feel that he probably did drift off to sleep. I've done it once and a gadget named "Doze Alert" saved my life...

After reading the article, I can imagine he may have been physically exhausted after a night out with friends and a night in jail. The night in jail and being dismissed from the team could have left him emotionally exhausted as well. I'm glad that in his last hours he reached out to his dad.

 

[bamablood6]

That article made me feel better too, and wish Altee could have survived and gotten the help he seemed to be headed home to get....

I myself have almost fallen asleep after hours of driving/staying up all night etc.....

Once driving to my Mother's from Ft Carson, CO to Alabama, I passed through Oklahoma City, but I don't remember ever passing through Oklahoma City!

 

[TideEngineer08]

I drive for my job and many times have struggled staying awake while driving in the afternoon hours.

Such a sad story. I pray God comforts his friends and family. I had no idea he had such an impact on the team.

 

[GrayTide]

Thanks for the link. Sad story, just hope it saves the lives of many. RIP Altee.

 

[Catfish]

This story gets more heartbreaking every time I read something new about it. It sounds like he was so close to getting the help he needed.

Former coach, parents: ‘Altee Tenpenny asked for help before his death’

Tenpenny hadn’t spoken to his father in several years prior to answering a text message shortly before his death.


“On the day my son died, I sent him a text,” Derek Tenpenny told AL.com over the weekend after Altee’s funeral. “I was angry about what I had read in the papers, but I always wanted to keep it open. I said, ‘Son, football and college, this ain’t working. I don’t know what it is that you’re running from, but you need to come home so we can fix it.’


“And Altee texted me back. My son texted me back. Instantly. Y’all don’t understand. When you spend years texting and calling, and you don’t get nothing — a minute after I sent my text, my son texted me back. And he said, ‘Yes, sir. When can we meet?'”

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/alabama-football/former-coach-altee-tenpenny-asked-help-death/

 

[Highway59]

Praying for comfort and peace be sent to his
family and friends. Sorry for their loss.....

 

[stlimprov]

If he'd been under as much stress as it sounds like, he probably hadn't been sleeping properly for some time.

As a society, we don't do a very good job of recognizing or understanding sleep deprivation and its potential impacts. (Note: I participated in a 14 day sleep deprivation study once, and it dramatically changed my awareness of when and how I was impacted.)

 

[TrampLineman]

I've even fell asleep in the bucket truck before while going down the road on storm. Very possible that is what happened like they are thinking even though they said it happened around 5pm. It doesn't have to be night to get sleepy.

It was great to see Coach's foundation donate so much too. It was also cool to see the story behind "the story" to see how much Coach was trying to help Altee. But like has been mentioned, it does sound like his death wasn't in vain as so many were saved during his service.

 

[James Eagle]

So very sad when a young life with so much potential ends prematurely. Rest in peace Altee.