Retire Number 30
Dear Mr. Fennell, Mr. Hardardt, and other members of the Holy Trinity Administration, As you are already aware, the Holy Trinity community recently lost one of the greatest Titans to ever join its ranks. On Friday, March 16, not four years removed from the last time he donned the green and white, Bobby Lazos (Class of 2008) lost his life in a car accident at the age of 22. Needless to say, this event is an unspeakable tragedy. Having played with Bobby on the lacrosse field for four years and having had the privilege of watching him on the gridiron over that time as well, I can not even begin to put into words how special of a person Bobby was. Not only did Bobby possess skills that a majority of athletes could only ever hope to have, but his undying dedication, steadfast loyalty and unrivaled toughness made him the ideal teammate. At the services following Bobby's passing, one couldn't help but notice the overwhelming presence that Holy Trinity had in Bobby's life. Pictures of Bobby wearing a Titan uniform lined the walls, his green #30 home football jersey stood framed next to his casket, and a flower arrangement depicting that same jersey towered over the room much in the same way that Bobby's talent and toughness allowed him to tower over opponents on the field. Most notably though, Bobby's connections to Trinity were apparent in the hundreds of coaches, teammates and friends from his time there that gathered together to mourn the loss of a truly great young man. I'm not sure if Holy Trinity is already planning something to honor the memory of one of its best, but in the days since Bobby's passing, I keep thinking that something needs to be done on the part of Holy Trinity to preserve the legacy of a young man who gave so much every time he ever put on a green and white uniform. After reflecting on the matter for several days, I can think of no better option than the following: at the first home football game of the 2012 season, Holy Trinity should retire Bobby's number 30, a fitting tribute to one of the greatest Titans to ever carry the name. And while I am fully aware that the retiring of a number is certainly an honor that should not be taken lightly, I can think of no person that deserves this honor more than Bobby. Purely as a player, Bobby always held the top spot as one of the most gifted athletes on his teams. As a teammate and a friend, Bobby was second to none. I have not set up this petition in the sense of redressing grievances from the Holy Trinity administration, I have done so only to bring to mind the profound impact that Bobby's life had on the Holy Trinity community. We are demanding nothing from Trinity, just hoping that with every signature this petition gets that Bobby's memory may live on stronger. For these reasons, I respectfully ask that Holy Trinity High School seriously consider this honor. Forever a Titan, Andrew O'Connell, Class of 2008
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