Unbeknownst to me, I had been engrossed in a few sports documentaries that were produced by ESPN. (Typically referred to as the ESPN 30 for 30, but I am sure most of you sports fans already knew that).

Once I found out that they were on TSN2, my first recording was a documentary about “The Two Escobars”, Pablo and Andres. Pablo Escobar was a drug lord from Columbia, and Andres was an up and coming footballer.

I remember watching the 1994 World Cup and I distinctly remembered about hearing that one of the footballers was shot dead at home after the games ended. I was entering University at that time and was too confused about life to pay much attention to the news. It went in one ear and out the other. I do recall thinking that it was sad to hear about a young man die like that and in the next minute I switched gears back to thinking about University again.

After watching this documentary, it made me appreciate the life I have here in Canada and how lucky we are that we live under a pretty well run democratic system. Sure there are holes in our system, but at the very least we don’t have to worry about being hunted down by jackals that have no regard for your life. I could not imagine such an existence. It haunts me to think about it. As I wrote the last sentence, I got a chill down my spine.

What drove this documentary home was that he was 27 when he died. I was just barely 20 entering University. My stresses were about life after University. What do I choose? What do I want to do? Andres just worried about his country. Wait.. .. what?  Yes this young man worried about his country. Can you imagine the weight of that on your shoulders? I certainly can’t and I am 38 now. I will readily admit my weakness in this category. I am not ½ the man Andres was and still is as his spirit is strong. Heroes don’t just leave us, they watch over us like Angels do. I truly believe that

We all know of someone who uses and abuses drugs. Some people turn a blind eye to it. Others will participate while the first thought for the righteous few would choose to admonish the “bad guys” by telling them they are bad. Let’s try taking these opinions/comments/suggestions a step further.  The people that help create the products are equally harmed as those who are harmed by the consumption of the product. Drug lords are rich, but not without the blood of the people that work for them and the blood of the people who die using.

The death of Andres symbolized the struggle of every day Columbians. They true victims of this story.

I shed a tear as the end of this documentary. These footballers were so young, so fragile and engraved their mark upon the nation of Columbia. Let’s not forget their memories and continue to forge the proper path ahead. Andres, I will never forget you and you are right.

Life does not end here. Be the change.