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NEW YORK -- Days before 12 former members of the Florida A&M University Marching 100 go on trial in connection with the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion, two of them sent a message to Champion's parents during a taping of the TV talk show "Katie."
In recorded statements, both Keon Hollis, 22, and Rikki Wills, 24, expressed regret for not doing something to stop the hazing or protect Champion. They also asked for forgiveness from his parents.
"I really ask for your forgiveness for what happened," Hollis said. "And if there's anything I can do, anything my family can do, please let me know."
"If there's anything else that I could've possibly done, I would've done it," Wills said. "I loved your son like a brother."
Pamela Champion, Champion's mother, responded simply, "I have no hate."
As
the one-year anniversary of the death of Florida A&M University drum major
Robert Champion approaches, a foundation created in his name is working to
eradicate hazing.
Pam Champion, his mother, said she created the Robert
D. Champion Drum Major for Change Foundation last December, a month after the
Nov. 19 death of her son after a hazing ritual aboard a FAMU band
bus.
“We put together a foundation to end the senselessness of hazing,”
his mother said.
She says she and her husband, Robert Sr., have been
aggressively trying to develop a program to take into the schools.
Their
son, a graduate of Southwest DeKalb High, was a member of the Marching Panthers
during his high school career there. The Champions still live in
Decatur.
“We want to give the real picture of what hazing is,” she said.
“The dangers, a visual of what it actually is in true color.”
On the day
he died, her 26-year-old son and the FAMU band were in Orlando for the Florida
Classic.
Orlando officials ruled his death a homicide after an autopsy
showed he died of internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma.
More
than a dozen people have been charged, and Champion’s parents have filed a
wrongful death lawsuit against FAMU.
NOTE:MEAC/SWAC SPORTS MAIN STREET first posting was made on August 5, 2007, because I was sick and tired of negative media stories on HBCUs. More importantly, I was seeking one location on the Web that I could read about the positive happenings in black college sports, see marching bands, and read about leadership, without pop-ups or commercial advertisements. Such a comprehensive site did not exist at the time, so I made it happen by linking the articles that I read each day to this Blog.
Today, we reached a milestone by posting our 10,000th blog, and I think it is appropriate to post on Mr. & Mrs. Champion leadership to eradicate hazing in our HBCU and schools. Please take a moment and read the two articles (above) and reflect on what you can do to make a difference in removing hazing from our culture.
Over the course of this journey with the Blog, I have posted 2-3 negative articles. I have attempted to stay away from negative journalism and to stay true to my calling.
As an alumnus of the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, the Department of Music and the FAMU Marching 100, I have a vested interest in the affairs of Florida A&M. Like you, we all are stakeholders in our respective Alma maters.
Thank you for reading this Blog, and hopefully it has met your expectations.
Do not forget to vote in the upcoming elections and to give generously to your HBCU.
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