The story of Reichen Posey is one of deep sadness and extreme hopefulness. Posey found football as an escape from the tragedy that struck him at such a young age. He also found a connection to another. This relationship would prove beneficial to both and inspirational to all. Posey’s story proves the power of sports and it can help even in someone’s darkest time.
Reichen Posey was six years old on December 14, 2012, attending Sandy Hook Elementary School. Posey and his fellow classmates were huddled in the back of the classroom when a gunman broke in, shooting his teacher, Victoria Soto, and five of his classmates. While reloading, Posey ran out of the classroom and kept running out of the building to a nearby firehouse. Posey’s older sister, Amyla, thankfully survived the shooting as well. The damage to Posey’s six-year-old mind had been done. He was not the same kid and struggled in all aspects of life. Even after his family moved to Colorado, he was still haunted by that day. The hardest thing of all was returning to school.
Getting through a day of school was difficult for Posey. Everything would remind him of Sandy Hook. He spent most of his school days in therapy using various methods to help him get through it. It wasn’t until Posey picked up a football that he could truly free his mind. Over the next few years, he would spend countless hours in his backyard with his parents just throwing a football back and forth. At school, when Posey had trouble staying seated, Maurice Carter, the school’s custodian, would pull him out of class to play football. Sometimes three times a day. This helped Posey immensely.
Through football, Posey was introduced to Jordan Murphy, a football player at the University of Colorado. Murphy was attending a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises at Century Aurora 16 when a gunman opened fire on the crowd. Murphy, escaping with his friends, was nearly hit when a bullet hit the drywall only a few inches above his head. He was able to escape but, like Posey, the damage was done. To get his mind off of the tragedy he focused on football.
There was an immediate connection when the two met. Posey and Murphy both suffered tragedies and found football as an escape. Their connection didn’t end there, as they became close friends. The conversation rarely went to Aurora or Sandy Hook. It stayed on football. The two would continue their bond for years to come. After graduation, Murphy took a job as the strength and conditioning coach for the Lutheran High School football team. When the time came for Posey to choose a high school, it was fairly easy. Currently, Posey is playing for Murphy at Lutheran High School where they continue to help each other get through life.
For Murphy, he was inspired by young Posey. He had to return to the place of horror every day and face those horrible feelings. Jordan did not have to return to a movie theater but by finding strength through Posey, he did. For Posey, having a role model in Murphy helped show him that he could still live a normal life — that he could be successful at football. The two are in a club of their own: the club of tragedy and football. Their story shows football is more than just a game but therapy. A way to escape the hardships of life. A way to bring hope to an otherwise disheartening situation.
