The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - 7

JOHNS. CHRISTENSEN/JasperSailfin Photography JOHN S. CHRISTENSEN/Jasper Sailfin PHOTOGRAPH
Marshall first heard of his father's death from his cousin Aaron. Incoming recruit Lawrence Marshall suffered the tragedy of losing his father and grandfather in the two months before his senior season in high school.

By JASON RUBINSTEIN
Daily Sports Writer
awrence Marshall woke
up on July 13, 2013 ready
to fulfill his high school
community service requirement.,
The Michigan football commit
spent many of his sumner days
doing just that.
This time he noticed some-
thing peculiar: a man in the park
he was cleaning was wearing an
Omega Psi Phi shirt - the same
fraternity his father, Lawrence
Marshall Sr., had been a part of.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound
defensive end couldn't get
that image out of his head.
Throughout the day, he kept
thinking about his father. Not
for any particular reason, but
even in the most mundane of
times, he returned to that image.
After completing his service,
Marshall went to a family
cookout at his uncle's house.
Several of his friends and closest
family members would be there,
though his father never planned
on not attending.
As soon as Marshall got to the
barbeque he thought of the same
omega symbol. He couldn't get
his father out of his head. He
didn't know why. The image
lingered and lingered.
That's when his phone rang.
Marshall

didn't know what to feel.
"That was the worst day ever.
It was so hard. It was one of
the worst days I've ever had,"
Marshall said.
People coming to the party
looked at him with a peculiar
face. His friends were joking
with him, saying, "Lawrence,
you mad your girlfriend broke
up with you or something?"
But he wasn't saying a word.
After the initial shock had
died down, Marshall asked his
grandma to take him home, and
in the car, he finally broke the
devastating news. He couldn't
muster the strength to go back
to the barbeque even to tell his
mom - his grandma had to do
the painful task.
Lawrence Sr. had shaped
Marshall. He was the one who
introduced Marshall to football
and made him stick with it.
He was the one who helped
keep him disciplined inside the
classroom and out.
But he was gone now Marshall
didn't know what to do. Aaron
was out of town, but he was on
the next flight home.
"It was hard on him, as it
would be on anybody," Aaron
said. "It was hard for me not to
be there for him, but in a way
he needed to deal with it on his
Own.I
"It was good

his father ... Lawrence has seen
alot."
ess than two months
later, Marshall's wounds
reopened. This time
his grandmother had called arshall had always
his mom at 5:30 a.m. urging been one of the best
Marshall and his mom torush to -WL.football players in
the hospital. the area. His talent and work
Marshall's grandfather had ethic comes from his father, who
always had a history of being in always pushed him to play and
and out of the hospital. It wasn't allowed Marshall's older broth-
out of the ordinary for him tobe ers and cousins tobe relentless
there. This time, though, it had a with him when playing.
sense of urgency. Lawrence Sr. knew his son
Marshall and his mom rushed would get beaten up but also
to the hospital and found his knew it would benefit him in the
grandfather lying in a bed, long run. And it clearly did.
receiving The one con-
CPR. He had stant through-
just suffered a out Marshall's
heart attack. "He's playig football
The doctors 1 career was
asked the Mar- for not only now gone. He
shalls, what .f never played
they wanted to himself, but for a game with-
do. They could h £ 1 out his father
either let the his family. or grandfather
doctors con- watching.
tinue attend- Football has
ing to him, or always been an
allow him to try and recover on escape for Marshall. And it was
his own, hoping for a miracle. only fitting that just days after
Marshall's grandma had elected his grandfather's death, South-
for the latter - she didn't want field High School would be play-
her husband to suffer anymore. ing state power, rival Detroit
After the decision, the doctors Cass Tech in the season opener.
allowed the family to enter the Moments before the game,
room. Marshall stood by his Marshall, who wore an R.IP.
grandfather's side, grasping patch under his eye, looked up
his hand. He was watching the into the sky and asked his father
electrocardiographic heart and grandfather to look over
monitor beep and beep. Things him.
seemed normal for a second. Southfield ended LIp losing
But then Marshall witnessed the battle, 17-16, but Marshall
a second tragedy right in front of felt relieved. He felt, despite the
him - he watched the machine loss, his loved ones were looking
go flatline. over him and were proud of the
"I just saw someone next effort he put in.
to me die," Marshall said. "I It reflected in his play
was thinking 'What else could throughout the year. Marshall
happen to me?'" completed his senior season
Added Aaron: "He said it was with 68 tackles, eight sacks,
one of the toughest things he 18 quarterback hurries, three
ever did, because he was there forced fumbles, a fumble
when they actually pulled the recovery and a safety.
plug. For a 17-year old kid to see "If you watch him on the
that right after having to bury football field and throughout

life, he has that kin
his shoulder, unde
it's bigger than h
said. "He's playing
himself, but for his f
keep the legacy goit
Added Marshall:
a lot of weight this
I got way better wi
and more explosiv
mark on the QB. La
I hit the QB, he jus
sacked. When I hit
year, he either fum
or something happe
Something happe
Marshall was pla
father. He was pla
grandfather. HeN
because football
together.
fter Marshal
successful se
question
his commitment to P
were growing. Mars
committed to Michi
11, 2013, well
before the
Wolverines'
season.
Michigan
went 7-6 and
was struggling
to hold other
committed
recruits, while
in-state rival
Michigan
State won the
Rose Bowl.
After all,
Marshall had
decommitted from
once before. The d
decoittitted from
February less than
giving Urban Meyec
"I was in Urban N
and he was showin
rings," Marshall sai
The rings were
Marshall to commi
But behind the urg
to consider other

d of chip on see what other schools had to
rstands that offer, the shine of bling soon
tim," Aaron started to fade.
for not only The loyalty of the Michigan
family and to staff gave Marshall a new
ng." perspective on recruiting.
"I picked up He wanted more of a family
season, and atmosphere, and that's exactly
th my hands what the Wolverines offered.
e. I left a Michigan coach Brady Hoke
st year when and other staff members made
t fell and got sure to do anything to help
t the QB this Marshall get through his fam-
bled the ball ily emergencies. The coach-
ned." ing staff attended the funerals
tned because and did everything they could
ying for his to keep Marshall's outlook
.ying for his positive. The lackluster sea-
was playing son didn't matter to Marshall
kept them because a homely feeling meant
everything to him.
"Michigan had my back:
That's why I stayed committed,"
Marshall said. "Though they
11's had a bad season, their loyalty to
enior season, me was unbelievable when I was
ns about in a time of need. They came
Michigan to the funeral. They don't have
hall had to do that. All they have to do
gan May is send a text saying 'Sorry for
your loss.' It
really touched
me that they
were there for
,michigan me and was
has had my a big reason
that I stayed
back. That's committed to
Michigan."
why I stayed Marshall
signed his
committed." letter of intent
to Michigan
on Feb. 5 and
wants to make

went to the
front porch
and sat with
his hands over
his eyes. Tears
rushed down
his face uncon-

that I wasn't
there because
"That was the he was able
to let out his
worst day ever." emotions and
cope with it
himself. I got

trollably. He home the next
was speechless. day and we handled a lot of stuff
The call was from his cousin together."
Aaron Marshall, 31, whom Aaron had let Marshall know
Marshall considers to be his it was going to be OK and gave
best friend. Aaron was calling him the support he needed.
to tell Marshall his father had It wasn't easy to move on for
been found dead at his house Marshall, but he felt this was a
after having complications with sign from God.
diabetes, a disease Lawrence Sr. Marshall had to cope with
had for many years, but nothing this himself, and he found that
had ever come of it. Marshall with football.

a university
efensive end
Ohio State in
a week after
r his pledge.
vleyer's office
ag me all his
id.
enough for
t on the spot.
ing of Aaron
schools and

an instant
impact. Not just for himself or
Michigan, but for his father,
grandfather and anyone who
carries the Marshall name.
Because if Marshall knows
anything, it's that his family
won't be always be there.
Because somewhere that image
of a man in an Omega Psi Phi
shirt still lingers in his mind.
Because somehow Marshall has
to cope.

JOHN S. CHRISTENSEN/Jasper Salfin Photography
Marshall decommitted from Ohio State and eventually chose Michigan.

Nfi tea:'

COURTESY OF SOUTHFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
i , 2 I totaling 68 tackles, eight sacks, three forced fumbles, 18 hurries, a fumble recovery and a safety.

,