This is an excerpt from a story in the Abbotsford Times on August 13. The full story can be seen by clicking on the link below. Rhys, like so many of us, had to deal with the why questions, emotions, confusion etc. He has turned that into a motivating power moving forward. Here’s the article:
Burnell, a member of the Burnaby Mountain Selects lacrosse team, the B.C. Midget Box Lacrosse team and the U-16 Field Lacrosse team, was rocked when he found out about the sudden death of his close friend and teammate Chris Friesen on March 25.
Friesen, who grew up in Langley, was just 17 years old. He was far too young, said Burnell, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Yale Secondary.
“I went through a lot of emotions,” he said.“I was sad, I was confused. I tried to figure out why he died but I managed to just get through it.”
Delivering the news to their son that his friend had passed away was also an emotional experience, said Burnell’s mom Lori.
“It was very difficult because we were very close family friends,” she said. “It’s devastating. It’s hard to explain to kids this young why these things happen. I don’t think there is an explanation but to see all of the boys take up the cause and keep working hard in Chris’s name and really pay tribute to him . . . Chris lives on through these young guys.”
“There’s a picture of him holding a lacrosse stick and it says ‘Be The Best’ at the top,” added Burnell.
That’s Be The Best.
Congrats Rhys. We’re all very proud of what you’ve accomplished so far.
You’re continuing to show us how to Be The Best.
Read the full article at: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/sports/From+tragedy+triumph/3394532/story.html#ixzz0wYVZXwrJ
Be The Best. 