Detroit Lions safety Spievey will play tonight with heavy heart – Torrington Register Citizen
By Jordan FensterSpecial to The Register Citizen
MIDDLETOWN — A day after he learned that his cousin, Chauncey Hardy, was killed during a fight in a Romanian bar, Detroit Lions safety Amari Spievey realized that he would have to perform on the field for Monday Night Football.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to play in this game,” he told The Middletown Press.
Hardy and Spievey grew up together and played together — though one chose professional football while the other played basketball professionally, most recently for CSS Giurgiu in southern Romania.
Spievey would like for his cousin be remembered for what he was, “a happy, easy-going, talented, gifted person.”
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Spievey said of Hardy. “He taught me to let things go.”
Reports indicate that Hardy was attacked and killed at a bar in Romania after celebrating a victory over rival Dinamo Bucharest in Giurgiu. Police have arrested and charged Adrian Tanasoaia for the crime.
“Chauncey didn’t bother anyone,” Spievey said. “He had no enemies.”
Before heading off to Romania to play professional basketball, Hardy was named to three All-State teams and most valuable player in the Southern Connecticut Conference Tournament in 2005, and played for Sacred Heart University.
Spievey said that his cousin was equally proficient as a football player, though it was he who ultimately ended up on the gridiron.
“I always felt he was gifted, that he was more athletic than me,” Spievey said. “when we played tag as kids I could never catch him.” Continued…
Though he admitted to some friendly competition between the two cousins — they were, after all, born in the same year — Spievey said “we were always on the same team.”
“He was an amazing athlete. It was effortless,” Spievey said. “I owe so much to him because I learned so much from him.”
Police spokeswoman Mirela Gheta said the 23-year-old Hardy had severe head injuries and was in a coma when he was admitted to the hospital. He died shortly after undergoing surgery in a Bucharest hospital.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
By Jordan FensterSpecial to The Register Citizen
MIDDLETOWN — A day after he learned that his cousin, Chauncey Hardy, was killed during a fight in a Romanian bar, Detroit Lions safety Amari Spievey realized that he would have to perform on the field for Monday Night Football.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to play in this game,” he told The Middletown Press.
Hardy and Spievey grew up together and played together — though one chose professional football while the other played basketball professionally, most recently for CSS Giurgiu in southern Romania.
Spievey would like for his cousin be remembered for what he was, “a happy, easy-going, talented, gifted person.”
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Spievey said of Hardy. “He taught me to let things go.”
Reports indicate that Hardy was attacked and killed at a bar in Romania after celebrating a victory over rival Dinamo Bucharest in Giurgiu. Police have arrested and charged Adrian Tanasoaia for the crime.
“Chauncey didn’t bother anyone,” Spievey said. “He had no enemies.”
Before heading off to Romania to play professional basketball, Hardy was named to three All-State teams and most valuable player in the Southern Connecticut Conference Tournament in 2005, and played for Sacred Heart University.
Spievey said that his cousin was equally proficient as a football player, though it was he who ultimately ended up on the gridiron.
“I always felt he was gifted, that he was more athletic than me,” Spievey said. “when we played tag as kids I could never catch him.”
Though he admitted to some friendly competition between the two cousins — they were, after all, born in the same year — Spievey said “we were always on the same team.”
“He was an amazing athlete. It was effortless,” Spievey said. “I owe so much to him because I learned so much from him.”
Police spokeswoman Mirela Gheta said the 23-year-old Hardy had severe head injuries and was in a coma when he was admitted to the hospital. He died shortly after undergoing surgery in a Bucharest hospital.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.