Kelly and I were best friends from 6th grade at Gene Howe Elementary. Here is a funny story about 6th grade. We both wanted to play Kids Inc football but we were both over the weight limit. We had 6 weeks to lose pounds. I had to lose 21 lbs and Kel had lose 28 lbs before the official weigh in. So I started running from my house on Western Street to school every morning and every day after football practise. I cut back on my eating. The cafeteria ladies at Gene Howe had my teacher Mrs. Phillips call my Mom because they were worried I wasn't eating enough. So it went. Kelly was under strict enforcement from his Dad Roy Forehand. He would take Kelly to workout in a fatman sweat suit every day after football practise. So it was for 6 weeks. When the official weigh in came. I had to lose 21 lbs and I had actually lost 24 lbs and I made the team. When Kel weighed in, he had gained a pound. Muscle weighs more than fat. I did cardio, and Kel's Dad had him doing strength building. He didn't get to play. I started at fullback and put all that weight back on as muscle this time, no more weigh ins. It was so much fun. They would hand me the ball and i was twice as big as most of the kids, so I would start running with the ball. One guy would hit me, I'd drag him. Another guy would hit me, I would drag them both, and so on. Ususally, it took 5 to 6 players to drag me down. There is no telling how many touchdowns I scored that year. What fun. Poor Kel.
I was with him on Monday, November 27th, 2017 at 3:30 AM in the morning. i believe the last words he spoke coherently was to tell the pastor with him "Tell Mark to forgive himself." Kelly knew that I had suffered from survivor's guilt all my life. We played next to each other on the preseason ranked #2 in the State, Canyon 74-75 Eagles. He was Def. Tackle, and I was Def. End, on the right side of the defensive line. I will never forget that 30 seconds that led to a lifetime of memories. It was a Caprock quick-pitch to #22 Valasquez, the tailback, around my end. I didn't let him make it around the end and turned him back towards the interior of the defensive line. Then the most incredible head to head tackle occureed between Kelly and Valasquez. The impact knocked the back over backwards about 3 yards. Kelly was stooped over, then his legs went out from under him, and he lay on the ground. I remember him yelling that his legs were on fire.
While that story made headlines all over Texas and surrounding states, Kelly was taken to the old NWTH on 6th Street, where his head was put in a halo screwed to his skull, so that his neck would be immobilized. The table he was strapped to would rotate about every 30 minutes or so. When Kelly was face down, his parents and sisters would talk to him with a mirror on the floor. I remember his Mom, would only allow Adrian Foil and me in the room for short visits. No one else. She gave strict instructions for us both to be strong and show no weakness. Kelly, needed positive support from us and he needed hope. I remember lying on that floor looking up at Kel and when he would tear up, the tears would drop down on my face. Somehow, Adrian and I held it together.
Then Kelly eventually went to Houston for a several months, maybe longer. When he came back he got a heroes welcome from his classmates and all that knew him. He was swarmed with attention. I held back but I told Kelly, eventually when the crowds were gone and he found himself alone, that I would be there for him. So it was a lifelong friendship. When we got the chance we would go places in his new wheelchair accessible van that he could drive. His wife Brenda hated me. She knew boys were going to be boys. It was his escape from her, and escape from his hero notariety, where he could be himself with a true friend. Over the years we did it hundreds and hundreds of times. Before he had a motorized wheel chair, I was the only one he trusted to lift him up stairs. There were no boundaries for us. We just went.
I moved away, while Kelly got an BBA and started a very successful career for himself. Anytime I was in town, back from Baylor, my phone would ring. Every girl I dated for the next 5 years knew that when I made a date with them and then Kelly called, that we would postpone our date. They all seemed to understand the importance of that. Never heard a complaint. Kel came first. Anna Bland, Darleana, Eloise, and others, knew and understood.
Then I got married. Moved to St. Louis and Omaha-ha. We would try to stay in touch as best we could. Then when I moved back to Amarillo after a divorce, Kelly had to make time for me. Wow, he was busy, active, and popular. But we would hook up. Brenda did her best to keep me away from Kel. The proof is this. Kelly lived in 4 different houses while he was married. I was only allowed in the one in City View after his divorce. Hahaha. I would just swing by and park my vehicle and he would already be loaded up in the van and away we would go. Another adventure.
I got married again living in Amarillo, built a house, and Kelly would drop by on occasion. Most of the time he was just really busy, and active. Or was it still Brenda? LOL !! After my second divorce I got recruited by my former employer that I worked for right after Graduate school. I moved to Temple, TX for a management position. I was there for 10 years, Kelly and I ost touch with each other the first 5 years and then we got back in touch the last 5 years. We worked together on planning the 35th Reunion. I was the website guy then, Kelly was the Leader of the planning, and Kim Johnson helped with FaceBook searches, and helped with Homecoming Mums etc.
Fate would have it that in 2013, I had to give up my job and move back into my old house, sleep in my old childhood bedroom, to take care of my 88 year old Dad that was having heart problems. So for 5 years Kelly and I got to hang out together 3 or 4 times together. We loved music. I talked him in to turning his garage into a Man Cave. So he did. We were together almost every Monday and Tuesday to watch "The Voice." We were almost exactly alike when it came to music. We both had perfect pitch and had a perfect ear for it. He just got all the talent. But I made up for it with love of the music. I remember giving him 52,000 songs that I had downloaded on Napster, Bearshare, Kazaa, and Limewire. In Belton where I had lived in Central TX, I had a direct broadband connection. I could download 20 songs in 5 minutes. So there you go. He got to use some of those songs that I had filed by genre, artist, album. Over 220 different Rock Bands. And just as much country. He was thrilled. He bought a PA system and started DJing gigs.
The best part was that it was 678 steps from my Dad's front porch to Kelly's. I was so blessed to be able to spend so much time with him. He got very reclusive towards the end and I became his very best friend again, like he had always been mine. What a great friend. What a great talent. What a great joyful, free, and happy spirit he was. I occasionally got to see the downside the depression, but not very often. Do you know anyone, can you think of anyone, that would have made the most of their life in Kelly's situation? Forget about it. There is no one like him. There will never be anyone else like him. I know he is singing in Heaven's choir right now and doing an occasional solo. God I love him so much. Miss you Buddy.
Mark: What a beautiful memory of Kelly. What I remember most about both of you, other than Kelly's awful accident, is that, when I arrived in Canyon, it was between my sophomore and junior years of high school--a tough time in life, and I had really liked my school in Iowa, thought I was in love with a girl there and had no desire to be in Canyon, Texas. Someone had arranged for Kelly and you to show me around. You guys were both "big men on campus," athletes and home grown. I was not an athlete, did not talk like you, and had very little in common. Yet, you two guys were great to me, and were incredibly welcoming. Gradually, I came to love Canyon and CHS. You guys were a big part of that. Kelly became an incredible hero after his horrible accident. But he was a really wonderful guy before then. And Mark, don't sell yourself short! Thanks for reactivating this site. John
Mark Jackson
Kelly and I were best friends from 6th grade at Gene Howe Elementary. Here is a funny story about 6th grade. We both wanted to play Kids Inc football but we were both over the weight limit. We had 6 weeks to lose pounds. I had to lose 21 lbs and Kel had lose 28 lbs before the official weigh in. So I started running from my house on Western Street to school every morning and every day after football practise. I cut back on my eating. The cafeteria ladies at Gene Howe had my teacher Mrs. Phillips call my Mom because they were worried I wasn't eating enough. So it went. Kelly was under strict enforcement from his Dad Roy Forehand. He would take Kelly to workout in a fatman sweat suit every day after football practise. So it was for 6 weeks. When the official weigh in came. I had to lose 21 lbs and I had actually lost 24 lbs and I made the team. When Kel weighed in, he had gained a pound. Muscle weighs more than fat. I did cardio, and Kel's Dad had him doing strength building. He didn't get to play. I started at fullback and put all that weight back on as muscle this time, no more weigh ins. It was so much fun. They would hand me the ball and i was twice as big as most of the kids, so I would start running with the ball. One guy would hit me, I'd drag him. Another guy would hit me, I would drag them both, and so on. Ususally, it took 5 to 6 players to drag me down. There is no telling how many touchdowns I scored that year. What fun. Poor Kel.
I was with him on Monday, November 27th, 2017 at 3:30 AM in the morning. i believe the last words he spoke coherently was to tell the pastor with him "Tell Mark to forgive himself." Kelly knew that I had suffered from survivor's guilt all my life. We played next to each other on the preseason ranked #2 in the State, Canyon 74-75 Eagles. He was Def. Tackle, and I was Def. End, on the right side of the defensive line. I will never forget that 30 seconds that led to a lifetime of memories. It was a Caprock quick-pitch to #22 Valasquez, the tailback, around my end. I didn't let him make it around the end and turned him back towards the interior of the defensive line. Then the most incredible head to head tackle occureed between Kelly and Valasquez. The impact knocked the back over backwards about 3 yards. Kelly was stooped over, then his legs went out from under him, and he lay on the ground. I remember him yelling that his legs were on fire.
While that story made headlines all over Texas and surrounding states, Kelly was taken to the old NWTH on 6th Street, where his head was put in a halo screwed to his skull, so that his neck would be immobilized. The table he was strapped to would rotate about every 30 minutes or so. When Kelly was face down, his parents and sisters would talk to him with a mirror on the floor. I remember his Mom, would only allow Adrian Foil and me in the room for short visits. No one else. She gave strict instructions for us both to be strong and show no weakness. Kelly, needed positive support from us and he needed hope. I remember lying on that floor looking up at Kel and when he would tear up, the tears would drop down on my face. Somehow, Adrian and I held it together.
Then Kelly eventually went to Houston for a several months, maybe longer. When he came back he got a heroes welcome from his classmates and all that knew him. He was swarmed with attention. I held back but I told Kelly, eventually when the crowds were gone and he found himself alone, that I would be there for him. So it was a lifelong friendship. When we got the chance we would go places in his new wheelchair accessible van that he could drive. His wife Brenda hated me. She knew boys were going to be boys. It was his escape from her, and escape from his hero notariety, where he could be himself with a true friend. Over the years we did it hundreds and hundreds of times. Before he had a motorized wheel chair, I was the only one he trusted to lift him up stairs. There were no boundaries for us. We just went.
I moved away, while Kelly got an BBA and started a very successful career for himself. Anytime I was in town, back from Baylor, my phone would ring. Every girl I dated for the next 5 years knew that when I made a date with them and then Kelly called, that we would postpone our date. They all seemed to understand the importance of that. Never heard a complaint. Kel came first. Anna Bland, Darleana, Eloise, and others, knew and understood.
Then I got married. Moved to St. Louis and Omaha-ha. We would try to stay in touch as best we could. Then when I moved back to Amarillo after a divorce, Kelly had to make time for me. Wow, he was busy, active, and popular. But we would hook up. Brenda did her best to keep me away from Kel. The proof is this. Kelly lived in 4 different houses while he was married. I was only allowed in the one in City View after his divorce. Hahaha. I would just swing by and park my vehicle and he would already be loaded up in the van and away we would go. Another adventure.
I got married again living in Amarillo, built a house, and Kelly would drop by on occasion. Most of the time he was just really busy, and active. Or was it still Brenda? LOL !! After my second divorce I got recruited by my former employer that I worked for right after Graduate school. I moved to Temple, TX for a management position. I was there for 10 years, Kelly and I ost touch with each other the first 5 years and then we got back in touch the last 5 years. We worked together on planning the 35th Reunion. I was the website guy then, Kelly was the Leader of the planning, and Kim Johnson helped with FaceBook searches, and helped with Homecoming Mums etc.
Fate would have it that in 2013, I had to give up my job and move back into my old house, sleep in my old childhood bedroom, to take care of my 88 year old Dad that was having heart problems. So for 5 years Kelly and I got to hang out together 3 or 4 times together. We loved music. I talked him in to turning his garage into a Man Cave. So he did. We were together almost every Monday and Tuesday to watch "The Voice." We were almost exactly alike when it came to music. We both had perfect pitch and had a perfect ear for it. He just got all the talent. But I made up for it with love of the music. I remember giving him 52,000 songs that I had downloaded on Napster, Bearshare, Kazaa, and Limewire. In Belton where I had lived in Central TX, I had a direct broadband connection. I could download 20 songs in 5 minutes. So there you go. He got to use some of those songs that I had filed by genre, artist, album. Over 220 different Rock Bands. And just as much country. He was thrilled. He bought a PA system and started DJing gigs.
The best part was that it was 678 steps from my Dad's front porch to Kelly's. I was so blessed to be able to spend so much time with him. He got very reclusive towards the end and I became his very best friend again, like he had always been mine. What a great friend. What a great talent. What a great joyful, free, and happy spirit he was. I occasionally got to see the downside the depression, but not very often. Do you know anyone, can you think of anyone, that would have made the most of their life in Kelly's situation? Forget about it. There is no one like him. There will never be anyone else like him. I know he is singing in Heaven's choir right now and doing an occasional solo. God I love him so much. Miss you Buddy.
Mark "Action" Jackson
John Watkins
Mark: What a beautiful memory of Kelly. What I remember most about both of you, other than Kelly's awful accident, is that, when I arrived in Canyon, it was between my sophomore and junior years of high school--a tough time in life, and I had really liked my school in Iowa, thought I was in love with a girl there and had no desire to be in Canyon, Texas. Someone had arranged for Kelly and you to show me around. You guys were both "big men on campus," athletes and home grown. I was not an athlete, did not talk like you, and had very little in common. Yet, you two guys were great to me, and were incredibly welcoming. Gradually, I came to love Canyon and CHS. You guys were a big part of that. Kelly became an incredible hero after his horrible accident. But he was a really wonderful guy before then. And Mark, don't sell yourself short! Thanks for reactivating this site. John