After 51 years in journalism and a length list of sweet memories, retirement beckons for Minnesota State High School League Media Specialist John Millea.
School staff and community members began posting photos and videos on social media, and it was really something to see. The message was simple: “We’re still here, we will return to normal, and we are thinking about our kids, teams and communities.”
A plaque in the school, with a photo of Jacob, says, “There are some people in life that make you laugh a little louder, smile a little bigger and live just a little bit better.”
"We said even if I have to be in a chair on the sidelines, we’re going to lead and be involved and be a part of the team. And that was super inspirational to me."
These were just games, with the girls and boys basketball teams from Hopkins heading to Annandale for a varsity doubleheader. The overall focus was on a little boy who is in the minds and hearts and prayers of everyone who attended.
Gabby Billing, a Breck School graduate, was recently named the Hockey Partnerships Coordinator for the Minnesota Wild. Billings played her first four years of college hockey at Dartmouth and then transferred to the University of St. Thomas for her final season in the fall of 2022.
Amid all the hoopla of Bob McDonald's 59th and final season as a boys basketball coach, as well as his nearness to 1,000 career victories, something important can easily be forgotten. His players.
Wendland was fortunate. When he was struck by sudden cardiac arrest, he was surrounded by people who were trained in life-saving skills, at a school that had implemented plans to handle such a crisis.
