Bearcats' biggest fan loses battle with cancer

ROCK HILL -- 

Norma Thomson said her husband, Bobby, never met a stranger; that he liked to talk and would do just about anything to help someone in need.

For the last eight years, Bobby was particularly aware of what he could offer others. He was diagnosed with stage three cancer in August 2003. Bobby's doctors said he was living on short time.

They didn't know the Bobby folks had come to love. They did not know that Bobby never backed away from a battle and wasn't about to surrender in this one.

Bobby died at Piedmont Medical Center early Wednesday morning. Norma was at his side, her chair pulled close to the bed when he slipped away. He was only 48 years old and had plans. The most important to him was returning to his volunteer job with his beloved Rock Hill Bearcats football team.

He loved football, flew a Bearcats flag from his porch all football season. He had a football room, Bearcats on one wall, South Carolina Gamecocks on another and Washington Redskins on a third. The other wall, he said several years ago, had items devoted to all three of "my teams.''

Bobby attended Rock Hill's spring game at District Three Stadium, but he was so weak from the weight he had lost that Norma called him off the field and into the stands with her before taking him home before the scrimmage ended.

Bearcats coach Joe Montgomery put Bobby to work after the two met face-to-face two years ago, gave him the job of equipment manager. He made sure he had extra mouth pieces, extra jerseys, face masks and screws to fix helmets in the tool pouch attached to his belt. He helped assistant coach Sam Betz with the uniforms.

Montgomery made sure Bobby was part of the staff. He got the same Bearcats clothing and hats the coaches wore. When the team pulled out for a road game, he was on the bus with "his'' boys.

"I can't tell you how much the boys loved and respected Bobby,'' said June Wessinger, starting quarterback Cory Wessinger's mom. "They absolutely adored him and when he was sick and not there, they worried and wanted him to come back.

"After I heard the news Wednesday night, I called Cory. He's at The Citadel for camp. I was crying and it was tough on both of us. Cory had developed a strong bond with Bobby and he couldn't believe he was gone.''

Bobby never played football at Rock Hill, but became a hardcore Bearcats' fan after he graduated. Said he couldn't remember missing more than one game since. He switched his chemo treatments to a weekday that would allow him not to be sick on Friday nights. Instead, Thursdays were his bad days.

7.22.06 – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill « theflunkers.com

Perhaps I should have titled this, “Why I love country music.” This past weekend I took Emily to the “Soul to Soul” concert with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Amazingly, at times you could have confused what was a country concert with a 15,000 person worship center.

The event itself was spectacular. The American Airlines Center in the heart of Dallas is in itself a sight to behold. They suspend an astounding amount of speakers, cameras, light, lighting rigs, banners, screens, projectors, flat-panels, and a multitude of other entertainment devices from the center of the ceiling.

I serve as our technical director for church, which means programming light cues, instructing cameramen, and building computer cue sheets – but I cannot imagine what the person who has to program the AA Center has to go through! The show was truly over-the-top!

Then there are the performers themselves. Both Tim McGraw and Faith Hill give the impression of having it all: the looks, the talent, the fame and fortune. Yet, even from the balcony seating, they could still connect with us as performers who appreciate their fans.

The chemistry between this husband and wife duo on stage is so inspiring to watch. When they sing a love song to each other – they’re really meaning it. The show was made up of all their hits, and consistently Tim McGraw would stop singing and hold his mic to the audience as 15,000 people would finish the chorus.

Routinely, country singers will unashamedly sing about Jesus and faith, which is one reason I love country music (bluegrass music as well). My favorite moment of the night was when Faith Hill overheard a fan shout, “Sing ‘I surrender all’ for my mom.” Faith, stopped what she was doing, walked over to the fan (who had her mom on the cell phone), Faith took her phone (-right in the middle of a concert mind you) and held it at arms length and impromptu started, “All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him…” I had to sit back and just thank God that there are still places and times in America where you can proclaim the King’s name. Thank you to Tim and Faith for shamelessly singing songs that give glory to God and not themselves.

I know that this article has little to do with Eleuthera or missions, but part of our site is to share with you events worth mentioning that happen to us. So, next time your driving, turn on a country station and listen through the beer and party songs for that one which might be worthy of singing at church.

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