Ambry 
Thomas 
wasn’t 
Ambry 
Thomas 
wasn’t 

supposed to be at Detroit King 
supposed to be at Detroit King 
that day, lacing up his cleats for 
that day, lacing up his cleats for 
a 7-on-7 scrimmage, feeling the 
a 7-on-7 scrimmage, feeling the 
summer heat blistering up from 
summer heat blistering up from 
the field. If it weren’t for a call 
the field. If it weren’t for a call 
from his coach, Dale Harvel, the 
from his coach, Dale Harvel, the 
night before, he wouldn’t have 
night before, he wouldn’t have 
been.
been.

After a particularly spirited 
After a particularly spirited 

effort at a 7-on-7 the week prior, 
effort at a 7-on-7 the week prior, 
Harvel told Thomas to take a load 
Harvel told Thomas to take a load 
off. The team was in Thomas’ 
off. The team was in Thomas’ 
hands now, with the likes of Lavert 
hands now, with the likes of Lavert 
Hill, Donnie Corley, Armani 
Hill, Donnie Corley, Armani 
Posey and Martell Pettaway off 
Posey and Martell Pettaway off 
to college after a dominant 14-0 
to college after a dominant 14-0 
state title season. His health was 
state title season. His health was 
too important to risk wear-and-
too important to risk wear-and-
tear in a meaningless late-July 
tear in a meaningless late-July 
scrimmage.
scrimmage.

But then, sitting in his room 
But then, sitting in his room 

in the basement of his Detroit 
in the basement of his Detroit 
home the evening of July 21, 
home the evening of July 21, 
2016, Thomas’ phone lit up. It was 
2016, Thomas’ phone lit up. It was 
Harvel.
Harvel.

“It was so weird, because he 
“It was so weird, because he 

didn’t ever call me, for real,” 
didn’t ever call me, for real,” 
Thomas 
recalled 
last 
week, 
Thomas 
recalled 
last 
week, 

months before his senior season 
months before his senior season 
at Michigan is scheduled to kick 
at Michigan is scheduled to kick 
off. “We would talk at practice; 
off. “We would talk at practice; 
we’d talk like that. To get a phone 
we’d talk like that. To get a phone 
call from him, it was shocking, so 
call from him, it was shocking, so 
I hopped on and answered.”
I hopped on and answered.”

Harvel, spurred by a change of 
Harvel, spurred by a change of 

heart, told Thomas the scrimmage 
heart, told Thomas the scrimmage 
was optional, which gave Thomas 
was optional, which gave Thomas 
the hint it wasn’t optional in the 
the hint it wasn’t optional in the 
slightest. Thomas, a bullheaded 
slightest. Thomas, a bullheaded 
competitor by nature, needed no 
competitor by nature, needed no 
convincing.
convincing.

Thomas still remembers some 
Thomas still remembers some 

of the little details about the 
of the little details about the 
following day: The schools that 
following day: The schools that 

tried to send their JV teams, 
tried to send their JV teams, 
enraging the fiery Harvel; His 
enraging the fiery Harvel; His 
competitive battles with a wide 
competitive battles with a wide 
receiver 
on 
Dayton 
Dunbar 
receiver 
on 
Dayton 
Dunbar 

named Joseph Scates, who’d go 
named Joseph Scates, who’d go 
on to play at Iowa State. He sure 
on to play at Iowa State. He sure 
remembers that damn heat. 
remembers that damn heat. 

But he, like anyone around 
But he, like anyone around 

the field that day, most vividly 
the field that day, most vividly 
remembers how it ended.
remembers how it ended.

Harvel, who’d suffered a heart 
Harvel, who’d suffered a heart 

attack in 2014, spent his day in the 
attack in 2014, spent his day in the 
shade, watching from afar as his 
shade, watching from afar as his 
assistant coaches took the reigns. 
assistant coaches took the reigns. 
As practice wound down, Harvel 
As practice wound down, Harvel 
stood along a fence that lined 
stood along a fence that lined 
the field’s perimeter, talking to a 
the field’s perimeter, talking to a 
group of coaches. Then, suddenly, 
group of coaches. Then, suddenly, 
he collapsed.
he collapsed.

“We were standing at the gate 
“We were standing at the gate 

talking, regular after-practice 
talking, regular after-practice 
conversation,” King’s offensive 
conversation,” King’s offensive 
coordinator Terel Patrick told the 
coordinator Terel Patrick told the 
Detroit Free Press at the time. 
Detroit Free Press at the time. 
“And he fell straight back. In front 
“And he fell straight back. In front 
of all the kids.”
of all the kids.”

Screams rang out. Players 
Screams rang out. Players 

darted across the street to the 
darted across the street to the 
Engine 9 fire station, crossing 
Engine 9 fire station, crossing 
East Lafayette Street in a frenzy. 
East Lafayette Street in a frenzy. 
Thomas lingered behind, slowed 
Thomas lingered behind, slowed 
by a sudden paralysis. Defensive 
by a sudden paralysis. Defensive 
coordinator 
Tyrone 
Spencer 
coordinator 
Tyrone 
Spencer 

dialed 9-1-1. “The coach just fell,” 
dialed 9-1-1. “The coach just fell,” 
yelled out one coach. “He just 
yelled out one coach. “He just 
fell. Go over there and try to get 
fell. Go over there and try to get 
somebody from the fire station.” 
somebody from the fire station.” 

“And then when EMS finally 
“And then when EMS finally 

came,” Spencer said, “Ambry was 
came,” Spencer said, “Ambry was 
one of the guys that was next to 
one of the guys that was next to 
me helping us put Coach Harvel 
me helping us put Coach Harvel 
on the stretcher, and getting him 
on the stretcher, and getting him 
up to the EMS.”
up to the EMS.”

“Me, being the person I am, 
“Me, being the person I am, 

knowing this is my team and 
knowing this is my team and 

I’ve got more experience with 
I’ve got more experience with 
Coach Harvel than all these guys, 
Coach Harvel than all these guys, 
I just felt like I owe respect,” 
I just felt like I owe respect,” 
Thomas said. “I just had to. It was 
Thomas said. “I just had to. It was 
something I had to do.”
something I had to do.”

Thomas helped turn Harvel 
Thomas helped turn Harvel 

over and pick him up, lifting him 
over and pick him up, lifting him 
onto the ambulance. Spencer 
onto the ambulance. Spencer 
rode with Harvel, frantically 
rode with Harvel, frantically 
telling Harvel’s wife what had 
telling Harvel’s wife what had 
happened, holding out hope the 
happened, holding out hope the 
doctors would revive him. There’s 
doctors would revive him. There’s 
some comfort in distance now, 
some comfort in distance now, 
four years removed from a day 
four years removed from a day 
that forever altered lives. Time 
that forever altered lives. Time 
cushions grief. Specifics fade 
cushions grief. Specifics fade 
from memory. 
from memory. 

“It felt like a movie,” Spencer 
“It felt like a movie,” Spencer 

says now. 
says now. 

Harvel, 57, was pronounced 
Harvel, 57, was pronounced 

dead of a heart attack at Detroit 
dead of a heart attack at Detroit 
Receiving Hospital.
Receiving Hospital.

When Thomas retells the 
When Thomas retells the 

story, he does so with fortitude. 
story, he does so with fortitude. 
His voice does not quiver. His 
His voice does not quiver. His 
emotions do not waver. 
emotions do not waver. 

But the details of the moment 
But the details of the moment 

linger in his memory.
linger in his memory.

“I remember looking into his 
“I remember looking into his 

eyes when we picked him up. I 
eyes when we picked him up. I 
didn’t wanna believe it, but in his 
didn’t wanna believe it, but in his 
eyes he just looked gone,” Thomas 
eyes he just looked gone,” Thomas 
said. “It just started to settle in 
said. “It just started to settle in 
more and more with me that day. 
more and more with me that day. 
And when we broke it down, we 
And when we broke it down, we 
broke it down for Coach Harv. 
broke it down for Coach Harv. 
Right after we broke it down, I 
Right after we broke it down, I 
just thought like, I remember 
just thought like, I remember 
seeing the look in his eyes and — 
seeing the look in his eyes and — 
my four years I was at King, that’s 
my four years I was at King, that’s 
something you would never see.
something you would never see.

“I just felt it in his eyes he was 
“I just felt it in his eyes he was 

gone.”
gone.”

12

Thursday, May 14, 2020
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
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