“The Thomas family showed us how people can come together under extraordinary circumstances that would normally drive them apart,” said ESPN executive John Skipper in a statement this evening.
In the summer of 2008, Thomas’ town was hit by an EF-5 tornado. Despite the adversity, he used football to keep a community together. The team in a town of only 2000 citizens went to a 11-1 season. But 13 months later, Ed Thomas was murdered by Mark Becker.
ESPN honored Thomas’s Family for their “capacity to forgive”. Aaron Thomas said of his dad tonight “He was led by his faith, his family and finally his football.”
Previous recepients of the award have included Nelson Mandela.
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