THIS IS WCCO 4 NEWS.
AN AWESOME ATHLETE AND
PHENOMENAL FRIEND.
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE ARE
REMEMBERING 22-YEAR-OLD JOHN
HERNDON.
HE WAS A STUDENT AT
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
UNIVERSITY AND A KEY MEMBER OF
THEIR WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
TEAM.
I WOULD SAY JOHN WAS
PROBABLY THE BEST LEADER OUT OF
ANYONE, YOU KNOW, ON THE TEAM,
YOU KNOW, AND JUST BECAUSE OF
HOW MUCH HE CARED, YOU KNOW,
FOR HIS TEAMMATES, HOW MUCH HE
WANTED THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
HE CAME TO MARSHALL FROM
MICHIGAN AND QUICKLY FOUND A
HOME AT SMSU.
AS ANGELA DAVIS SHOWS US IN
THIS WEEK'S LIFE STORY, JOHN'S
LEADERSHIP MADE HIM A STANDOUT
ON AND OFF THE COURT.
AT SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE
UNIVERSITY JOHN HERNDON WAS
HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE.
HE WAS MAKING STRAIGHT As, HAD
AN ADORING GIRLFRIEND AND HE
WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE MUSTANGS
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM.
THIS TEAM IS MORE LIKE A FAMILY
WITH PLAYERS RECRUITED FROM
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
COACH DEREK WAS IMPRESSED BY
JOHN'S WORTH ETHIC.
HE WOULD GIVE 100% EVERY
SINGLE TIME.
IT WAS A 30 MINUTE PUSH IF IT
WAS THE FIVE ON FIVE SCRIMMAGE,
HE WAS ALWAYS GIVEN 100%.
Reporter: JESUS VILLA WAS
JOHN'S TEAMMATE AND ROOMMATE
AND HIS BEST FRIEND FROM HIGH
SCHOOL IN MICHIGAN WHERE THEY
GREW UP.
ALL THEY HE CAME TO ME FOR
BASKETBALL ADVICE AND
BASKETBALL HELP I FEEL LIKE I
LEARNED MORE FROM HIM, JUST TO
BE A BETTER MAN, BE A BETTER
PERSON.
Reporter: HE SAYS JOHN WAS
STRATEGIC AND THOUGHTFUL, SPEAR
HEADING STUDY SECTIONS TO KEEP
EVERYONE'S GRADES UP.
TWO WEEKS AGO JOHN WENT INTO
CARDIAC ARREST DURING PRACTICE.
THE ENTIRE TEAM TRAVELED TO
MICHIGAN FOR HIS FUNERAL.
HE IS THE MOST SELFLESS OR
UNSELFISH PLAYER I HAVE EVER
COACHED.
HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT PERSONAL
STATS.
HE DIDN'T CARE, YOU KNOW, IF HE
WAS PLAYING.
HE WANTED TO WIN THE GAME.
Reporter: JOHN WAS BORN WITH
PART OF HIS SPINE MISSING.
HIS MOTHER SAYS HE COULD WALK
BUT ONLY SHORT DISTANCES.
IN WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL HE
FOUND STRENGTH AND PASSION.
IN MARSHALL, MINNESOTA HE FOUND
A LOT OF LOVE.
I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO TELL
HIM THANK YOU BUT I KNOW
SOMEWHERE HE CAN HEAR ME, SO --
APPRECIATE IT.
Reporter: ANGELA DAVIS, WCCO
4 NEWS.
JOHN HERNDON DIED ON
FEBRUARY 14th.
DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO THE
NATIONAL WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
ASSOCIATION IN HIS HONOR.
