Ingram Back at Practice
Tuscaloosa, AL – Alabama tailback Mark Ingram returned to practice Monday after going home for his grandfather’s funeral over the weekend.
Bet College Football Future Odds
The Heisman Trophy winner, who called Arthur Johnson “like my second father,” left practice early Friday for the funeral. Johnson, a former Michigan State player, died of a heart attack the previous Saturday at age 75.
“This was my first time losing somebody in my family, and he was a special person to me and my family,” Ingram said Monday. “But I know he would want me to be here practicing and getting ready for the season, because that’s always what he looked forward to.”
Ingram recalled Johnson taking him to football, basketball and soccer games and meetings when Mark Ingram Sr. was playing for the Miami Dolphins.
part of my life.”
He had a short visit with Johnson the day before he died and said he’d come see him the next day.
“I was blessed, and God was good to me because I got to go home and see him one more time before he passed,” Ingram said.
Asked for his favorite memory of Johnson, Ingram recalled how excited he was after the Heisman presentation.
“Just him being at the Heisman, he was the happiest dude ever,” Ingram said. “We were trying to take pictures and stuff and he was just talking through the pictures. He’s smiling and he’s just grabbing the trophy like it was his.
“He had three daughters, so I guess I was like a son to him. He was like my second father. Anything I needed or anything my mom or my family needed, he was always there to give it to us. He’ll be missed.”
Bet College Football Future Odds
Posted: 8/10/10 1:38AM ET