Ed Thomas remembered

Colin Dunlap | Friday, June 26, 12:49 p.m.

 

 

The man in the photograph above is named Ed Thomas.

Sadly, he's dead. As you have probably read by now,Thomas, a highly decorated high school football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Iowa was shot and killed by a former player on Wednesday.

About a year ago, I spoke to coach Thomas and wrote a story on him just after a tornado ripped through his town and school, devastating both. You can read it here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08188/895092-365.stm

In the few days since coach Thomas was killed, there have been countless tributes to him penned by columnists and reporters and produced by television people. Here are links to some of those (the first is his pregame speech prior to the first home game after the tornado ripped apart his hometown):

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9guf1SAUkoY]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31525308/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Kirk Ferentz reaction: http://all-access.cbssports.com/player.html?code=iowa&media=130005

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090624/SPORTS08/90624026/1001/NEWS

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090625/NEWS/906250371/1001/NEWS