Sports On a Friday night 23 years ago in Ellensburg, Camas High School coach Joe Hallead was playing in his own homecoming football game. In his wildest dreams, he never could have imagined the nightmare that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
In the fourth quarter of that game, Hallead’s teammate and friend Kevin Jewitt made a tackle and never got back up. It wasn’t until after Ellensburg lost the game in double overtime that Hallead and his teammates found out that Jewitt had died.
“I was 16-years-old at the time and thinking I knew everything about the world,” Hallead said. “Life hit us pretty hard that night. Twenty-three years later, it still hurts.”
Jewitt passed away on Oct. 21, 1988. As Camas hosted it’s own homecoming football game on the same day 23 years later, Hallead was hit with a wave of emotions. For the occassion, he wore a wrist guard with the initials “K.J.” and the number “84.”
Hallead shares this story with students and athletes to teach them the importance of life. It could be all over in a heartbeat, so cherish the time you have living and breathing.
