chizik family

[Rednilla 5,439]

There's never been any question about how good a man he is. And, to be completely honest, I still think he's a damned fine football coach, as well...he did very well at Central Florida, Auburn, and Texas as defensive coordinator, even if he did kinda screw the pooch a little the last couple of years...but that's neither here nor there. This was an exceedingly classy act by an exceedingly classy family. Great job, coach!

[JTFazz 386]

Coaching ability notwithstanding, I have always thought Coach Chizik was a class act and a good guy. This just further underscores and reinforces my opinion. It is just sad that things fell apart like they did. Respect.

[chas 0]

I an '85 Auburn Graduate. The oldest of our 4 children (Darby) was a freshman this Fall at AU and I was quite excited that she chose to pursue her college career at Auburn. She was majoring in Interior Design and my wife and I were more than happy to pay the out of state tuition (we live in Greenville, SC) so Darby could follow her dreams. Unfortunately, she had a brain hemmorage on November 14 while in her Interior Design class. She was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, GA on Friday, November 16.

We are still in mourning for our loss but inspired by her KD sisters, classmates, roomates, friends and the Auburn faculty and staff. They ALL have represented the university in a way that is fitting of a "Family" that is "All In". Coach Chiz represented this mantra well because he lives the Auburn Mantra. He understands there is more to life than football. I live and breathe Auburn and Auburn Football. I was glad our family attended KD Parent Weekend on November 4th (Homecoming Weekend). I was as disappointed as anyone that the Student Section was pretty vacant by halftime against New Mexico State. It bothered me that Darby was missing the true fun of a successful Auburn football season (at least that is what was on my mind that day).

Darby was a strong Christian and she is in Heaven saying "War- Eagle Dad...I Made It!". Our goals in life should include a purpose filled pursuit of giving to others who are less fortunate or need a hand. That is what God intended.God Bless Coach Chizik and his wife for giving and believing in others. A faithful Christian life well lived can last an Eternity. Darby understood it and the Chizik Family seems to also.

Thank you for sharing and for allowing me to share too.

OB,

My wife and I graduated from AU in '88 and our oldest daughter is a junior at AU and is also a KD. I was heartbroken for you and your family when she told me the news of your daughter. My mother passed away in a house fire on the same day your daughter suffered her hemmorage. As we mourned our loss, we were also praying for you and your family. I can't imagine the grief you must be experiencing with the loss of a child. Please know that you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

[mustache eagle 2,453]

OB,

My wife and I graduated from AU in '88 and our oldest daughter is a junior at AU and is also a KD. I was heartbroken for you and your family when she told me the news of your daughter. My mother passed away in a house fire on the same day your daughter suffered her hemmorage. As we mourned our loss, we were also praying for you and your family. I can't imagine the grief you must be experiencing with the loss of a child. Please know that you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

sending up prayers for you and your family as well.

[chas 0]

Thanks Mustache.

[ToraGirl 5,498]

Ignoring what my "flesh" WANTS to say to some "brothers in Christ", how about some facts?

I am a pastor's wife in central Alabama who is fortunate enough to shepherd some groups in local outreach. Two such outreaches have been directly blessed by the Chizik family, though you will hear nothing of it. They are probably uncomfortable with the Bayleigh story hitting the presses, but it's time we had some good, truthful press, don't you think?

Bridges of Faith, a nondenominational connector-point between the USA and Ukrainian orphanages, just acquired two beautiful golden labs as therapy dogs for the orphans they host on their trips to America. These orphans speak NO English, but dogs don't require it. It is hoped that volunteers who are interested in possible adoption will meet these children who are turned out into society when they reach a certain age because the orphanage can no longer house them. As you can imagine, their lives often turn upside down following this release: sex-trafficking is at an all-time high for girls as young as 13 or 14. Think about that for a moment. Gene and Jonna connected with the Benz family, who started Bridges of Faith, to see how they could help. In their church visitation presentations, you will see slides of Gene visiting at Bridges, lending a hand as needed. I was impressed. You can see the dogs on the Bridges Facebook site ("May orphans 2012").

The Adullam House, where I am blessed to take a group of women once a month, is a home for the children of incarcerated moms at Julia Tutwiler Prison in Wetumpka. Often, dads are not in the picture, but moms must serve their time. Sometimes they go into prison, pregnant. The Spackman Family, used of God to birth this incredible ministry, has a Christian school alongside the 24/7 home environment that the children truly THRIVE in until "Mom" can get on her feet to come get them and care for them. I've rocked babies as young as 4 weeks and painted the fingernails of little pre-schoolers, reading books to the olders. Some of the children, whose moms NEVER get their lives together, have actually been adopted by staff members after much prayer . Where do the Chiziks come in? Not too long ago, a new house (which our church helped construct, along with countless other churches and organizations) opened up to house the "babies", ages 0-4, because the need was expanding. The Chizik family furnished each and every bedroom, and let me tell you, they are DESIGNER. Those little ones want for nothing...beautiful cribs, lovely wall-hangings and bedding, and more. As you walk in, there is also a beautiful open area with every kind of toy and book you could imagine, and the BATHROOMS? One is totally decorated in AU...orange, blue; you'd just have to see it to believe it. (To be "fair", there is also a UA bathroom decorated as such on the other wing of the house...that was awfully generous of someone...). Now picture this...one night we came, the TWINS, whom we have known and loved since they were about four months old, turned one. Around a semi-circle daycare-style table, there were six little wiggleworms, pretty much all digging into birthday cake. The staff took those kids and plopped them in the bathroom three at a time to scrub them down that night! This is just to say that these are not ordinary bathrooms and bedrooms. They are built for the wear and tear of as many as 20 babies/toddlers. It all depends upon the need.

When someone is GOOD at something, it's time to encourage that trait, not debate it and question motives. Few could survive living the lives of those some so freely enjoy dissecting. Their income does not give US the right to do it; that's a university personnel decision. Remember, coaching performance has been long dissected...and ultimately addressed the Sunday following the Iron Bowl. Football was aside in this thread.

More importantly than "who's right" is this: what will each of us do to live our faith/beliefs to make a difference? While Gene and Jonna are busy living theirs, I suggest we try to outdo them even in a "widow's mite" kind of way, inspired by their example. Wouldn't the world be the kind of place we always gripe about it not being?

http://www.bridgesoffaith.com/

http://www.adullamhouse.org/ ("It's better to build children than repair grown-ups."--Bill Wilson)

War Eagle to you all, praise God for the Chiziks' season in Auburn history, and here's to a very exciting future on the GUS...

Well...

[im4aual 494]

Coach Chizik is a class act, an Auburn man, and he will always be family.

[triangletiger 1,599]

Ignoring what my "flesh" WANTS to say to some "brothers in Christ", how about some facts?

I am a pastor's wife in central Alabama who is fortunate enough to shepherd some groups in local outreach. Two such outreaches have been directly blessed by the Chizik family, though you will hear nothing of it. They are probably uncomfortable with the Bayleigh story hitting the presses, but it's time we had some good, truthful press, don't you think?

Bridges of Faith, a nondenominational connector-point between the USA and Ukrainian orphanages, just acquired two beautiful golden labs as therapy dogs for the orphans they host on their trips to America. These orphans speak NO English, but dogs don't require it. It is hoped that volunteers who are interested in possible adoption will meet these children who are turned out into society when they reach a certain age because the orphanage can no longer house them. As you can imagine, their lives often turn upside down following this release: sex-trafficking is at an all-time high for girls as young as 13 or 14. Think about that for a moment. Gene and Jonna connected with the Benz family, who started Bridges of Faith, to see how they could help. In their church visitation presentations, you will see slides of Gene visiting at Bridges, lending a hand as needed. I was impressed. You can see the dogs on the Bridges Facebook site ("May orphans 2012").

The Adullam House, where I am blessed to take a group of women once a month, is a home for the children of incarcerated moms at Julia Tutwiler Prison in Wetumpka. Often, dads are not in the picture, but moms must serve their time. Sometimes they go into prison, pregnant. The Spackman Family, used of God to birth this incredible ministry, has a Christian school alongside the 24/7 home environment that the children truly THRIVE in until "Mom" can get on her feet to come get them and care for them. I've rocked babies as young as 4 weeks and painted the fingernails of little pre-schoolers, reading books to the olders. Some of the children, whose moms NEVER get their lives together, have actually been adopted by staff members after much prayer . Where do the Chiziks come in? Not too long ago, a new house (which our church helped construct, along with countless other churches and organizations) opened up to house the "babies", ages 0-4, because the need was expanding. The Chizik family furnished each and every bedroom, and let me tell you, they are DESIGNER. Those little ones want for nothing...beautiful cribs, lovely wall-hangings and bedding, and more. As you walk in, there is also a beautiful open area with every kind of toy and book you could imagine, and the BATHROOMS? One is totally decorated in AU...orange, blue; you'd just have to see it to believe it. (To be "fair", there is also a UA bathroom decorated as such on the other wing of the house...that was awfully generous of someone...). Now picture this...one night we came, the TWINS, whom we have known and loved since they were about four months old, turned one. Around a semi-circle daycare-style table, there were six little wiggleworms, pretty much all digging into birthday cake. The staff took those kids and plopped them in the bathroom three at a time to scrub them down that night! This is just to say that these are not ordinary bathrooms and bedrooms. They are built for the wear and tear of as many as 20 babies/toddlers. It all depends upon the need.

When someone is GOOD at something, it's time to encourage that trait, not debate it and question motives. Few could survive living the lives of those some so freely enjoy dissecting. Their income does not give US the right to do it; that's a university personnel decision. Remember, coaching performance has been long dissected...and ultimately addressed the Sunday following the Iron Bowl. Football was aside in this thread.

More importantly than "who's right" is this: what will each of us do to live our faith/beliefs to make a difference? While Gene and Jonna are busy living theirs, I suggest we try to outdo them even in a "widow's mite" kind of way, inspired by their example. Wouldn't the world be the kind of place we always gripe about it not being?

http://www.bridgesoffaith.com/

http://www.adullamhouse.org/ ("It's better to build children than repair grown-ups."--Bill Wilson)

War Eagle to you all, praise God for the Chiziks' season in Auburn history, and here's to a very exciting future on the GUS...

Well...

Great post, ToraGirl. Thanks for that. War Eagle and Merry Christmas!

[kickerman97 3]

I an '85 Auburn Graduate. The oldest of our 4 children (Darby) was a freshman this Fall at AU and I was quite excited that she chose to pursue her college career at Auburn. She was majoring in Interior Design and my wife and I were more than happy to pay the out of state tuition (we live in Greenville, SC) so Darby could follow her dreams. Unfortunately, she had a brain hemmorage on November 14 while in her Interior Design class. She was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, GA on Friday, November 16.

We are still in mourning for our loss but inspired by her KD sisters, classmates, roomates, friends and the Auburn faculty and staff. They ALL have represented the university in a way that is fitting of a "Family" that is "All In". Coach Chiz represented this mantra well because he lives the Auburn Mantra. He understands there is more to life than football. I live and breathe Auburn and Auburn Football. I was glad our family attended KD Parent Weekend on November 4th (Homecoming Weekend). I was as disappointed as anyone that the Student Section was pretty vacant by halftime against New Mexico State. It bothered me that Darby was missing the true fun of a successful Auburn football season (at least that is what was on my mind that day).

Darby was a strong Christian and she is in Heaven saying "War- Eagle Dad...I Made It!". Our goals in life should include a purpose filled pursuit of giving to others who are less fortunate or need a hand. That is what God intended.God Bless Coach Chizik and his wife for giving and believing in others. A faithful Christian life well lived can last an Eternity. Darby understood it and the Chizik Family seems to also.

Thank you for sharing and for allowing me to share too.

OB,

My wife and I graduated from AU in '88 and our oldest daughter is a junior at AU and is also a KD. I was heartbroken for you and your family when she told me the news of your daughter. My mother passed away in a house fire on the same day your daughter suffered her hemmorage. As we mourned our loss, we were also praying for you and your family. I can't imagine the grief you must be experiencing with the loss of a child. Please know that you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

Prayers sent up for both of your families. Bless your hearts. War Eagle to all.