Op-ed: Tribute to John Mark Stallings
August 15th, 2008From The Paris [TX] News:
Former sports writer for The Paris News and Chic-Fil-A Corporate Communications Director Greg Thompson describes lessons he learned about embracing life from Johnny Stalling, the son of football coach Gene Stallings.
When Johnny was born with Down syndrome forty-six years ago, doctors advised his parents to put their son in an institution. The Stallings chose instead to raise their son, and Thompson says Johnny became an integral part of all the teams his father coached. He also achieved his own significant accomplishments.
But perhaps the most important thing that Johnny Stallings accomplished is this: he taught us that it doesn’t matter what awards you win, or what worldly accomplishments you achieve, it is how you live your life that matters most.
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January 21st, 2009 at 11:12 am
I was really proud to hear all the good things that Johnny’s father said about him on the word network, it was such a touching story. I sat in my car and listened to one of the interviews, that was with his father in 1998. The interview was so touching that i just sat in my car, it really made me look around at my own life and appreciate what God has done for me. It made me more thankful. It just was something that everyone should hear. I sorry that I did not get a chance to know Johnny. I wish that I had known him. He seems like the son that anyone would be proud to call their son. My prayers go out to his parents because I know that they have to miss him dearly. I have five girls and one son, and I know how I would feel. I just wanted to write and tell his mother and father that I don’t even know them, but they must to have been sent by God for this special purpose and time in their lives. Donna Mayes