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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