| | KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- To learn the effect of Derrick Thomas'
death, Christian Okoye had only to get in the car with his
daughter.
"Daddy, wear your seat belt," 8-year-old Tiana said.
And Okoye, a Kansas City running back when Thomas entered the league in 1989, reached down and buckled up.
|  | | The life of former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas was celebrated Tuesday at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo. |
"I thought, `Wow, this is a big lesson,"' he said. "Sometimes I forget to do that."
Tuesday, in a service at Kemper Arena, Kansas City held a final farewell, celebrating the life of the nine-time All-Pro linebacker who died Feb. 8 of complications from a traffic accident.
Chiefs president Carl Peterson, owner Lamar Hunt, NFL
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, and Chiefs great Otis Taylor were
among the speakers in a two-hour service.
"I was most proud that he called me 'Father,' " Peterson said.
"He was the son I never had. He will always be my son, but in
truth, he will always be our son."
Thomas died at 33 of cardio-respiratory arrest caused by a massive blood clot last Tuesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital, more than two weeks after a car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down.
More than 17,000 attended the ceremony, including former
teammates Neil Smith, Marcus Allen and Joe Montana.
Thomas will be buried later this week in Miami. A public
viewing was held Monday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Thomas, Michael Tellis and John Hagenbusch were headed to the
airport to fly to St. Louis for the NFC championship game on
Jan. 23 when the accident occurred on a snow- and ice-covered
stretch of Interstate 435 in Clay County. Thomas lost control of
his 1999 Chevrolet Suburban and collided with the median before the vehicle rolled several times.
Thomas and Tellis, 49, neither of whom were wearing
seatbelts, were thrown from the vehicle. Tellis was pronounced
dead at the scene, while Thomas and Hagebusch, 34, were taken to
Liberty Memorial Hospital. Hagebusch, who was wearing a
seatbelt, was treated and released.
Chiefs coach Cunningham said on Tuesday that Thomas' death taught him to always wear a seat belt.
"You're looking at a man that's never buckled a seat belt in his
life," Cunningham said. "It takes the passing of Derrick Thomas to buckle my seat belt, but I'll see I do it every time I get in
my car."
Thomas played his entire 11-year career with the Chiefs and made
a team-record nine Pro Bowl appearances. He is Kansas City's
all-time leader in sacks, safeties and fumble recoveries.
Thomas' total of 126½ sacks ranks ninth on the NFL's all-time
list.
A community-minded person, Thomas was one of the NFL's most
active players off the field. He has been honored with numerous
humanitarian awards, most notably taking NFL Man of the Year in
1993.
Thomas learned how much his exploits on the field and his good
deeds off the field were appreciated with the massive support he
received from the Kansas City community and around the country
following the accident.
| |
ALSO SEE
Fans view Thomas' body in Arrowhead end zone
Doctors say Thomas died from massive blood clot
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Cris Dishman says Derrick Thomas was an up-beat person.
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Willie Lanier talks about Derrick Thomas being a mentor.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Bruce Smith talks about Derrick Thomas' memorial.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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