In basketball, at times, we tend to live in a sheltered environment. The special things that the game gives to us, the places it takes us and the people it allows us the fortune of knowing or crossing paths with in the gym can also blind us, to a degree, of the perils that the real world can send our way. All too often we are reminded that regardless of our love for and commitment to the game that provides us so much, our futures are a mystery and the direction they take is often not of our own choosing.
I didn’t know Mackenzie Forrest. In the multitude of gyms I’ve been in I may have seen her play…or maybe I didn’t. It’s not really important. The senior from Lakewood High School in Colorado played her last game in the state quarterfinals March 4th. Her plans were to attend and play basketball at Regis University beginning next fall. Unfortunately, that control that we convince ourselves that we have over our destiny in the gym doesn’t go with us when we walk out into the cold night. Mackenzie Forrest didn’t plan on a one car accident nor did her family foresee having to say goodbye with so much promise and so many opportunities lying in front of her.
There will be no college experience, no next season and no more games for number 33. She spent her last day watching a friend and another future Regis Ranger win a state title; the consummate teammate. However, Mackenzie’s story will not end here. While doctors were unable to save her life she will live on through organ donation providing a much needed “assist” from Lakewood’s all-time leading scorer.
All of us know the possibilities with every decision we make and each time we walk out the door. We don’t think about what could happen just walking down the street, in a crowd or what might happen when we board a plane…or get behind the wheel of a car. Lives can change in a moment and suddenly basketball, recruiting, rankings, and recognition mean so much less than one more hug or simply the chance to say I love you just one last time. Pay attention to the ones you love and those who are important in your life. Embrace each moment as if it might be your last to share with a teammate, friend or relative. If you’re fortunate, at the very least, the memories you share with others as the years go by will be that much richer.
Please keep the memory of a young woman and member of the basketball “family” plus those who loved her in your heart and prayers during this tragic and difficult time.
Follow the link below to the Denver Post for more about Mackenzie and the accident.
