Dolphins to pay homage to Matthews brother on Sunday

[Daytona Fin]

The crowd at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday, much like those that will gather at sports venues around the country, will come to admire men who are often regarded as heroes. Fathers and mothers will bring their kids to a football game to cheer and idolize great athletes and maybe use those athletes as role models in a life lesson.

So that’s a lot of hero worship that will be going on.

But when a scheduled pause early in the second quarter stops this game, and the Dolphins pay homage to the memory of Christopher Ruiz, then the day's most clear picture of a hero will be seen by everyone watching the stadium’s big boards or looking onto the field.

Ruiz served in the U.S. Marines — the real America’s team — and rose to the rank of sergeant. He met his wife, Lorelyn, in high school and married his high school sweetheart after he returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Seven weeks ago Ruiz was in Afghanistan working as a civilian contractor, training locals to serve and fight for their country just as he had served and fought for his.

The military portion of Ruiz’s life was about to end because he was scheduled to leave Afghanistan on Oct. 28, the end of what could be described as his final tour of duty. And he had plans back home.

Ruiz told people he was thinking of joining his local Menifee, California, police force, which made sense because he had led a life of service abroad and didn’t want to stop once he got home.

Except that Christopher Ruiz never got home alive.

He was one of six U.S. Airmen and five other civilian contractors killed in the crash of an Air Force C-130 as it tried to put down at the Jalalabad Airfield on Oct. 2.

Dolphins wide receiver Rishard Matthews knows that is true. You see, Christopher Ruiz was his brother and even now, seven weeks after this great loss, Matthews cannot let go.

“All the emotional part, the first couple of weeks was a struggle, but you do have to move forward,” Matthews said. “I’ve tried to be strong and positive for the family, but it’s definitely in my head all the time.

“It’s always in your head.”

Ruiz and Matthews were actually stepbrothers. Rishard’s father Renauld married Ruiz’s mother Estella and became his stepfather. But try telling Matthews that wasn’t his full-blooded sibling who passed in that midnight crash seven weeks ago.

“He was a guy that always wanted to serve his country,” the Dolphins’ receiving touchdowns and yards leader said. “My dad served in the Marines for 21 years, and he always wanted to do that, too. It was his No. 1 thing. In high school, he was in the ROTC.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/s...o-salguero/article45774925.html#storylink=cpy

 

[SeasonsMusic]

I hope they call up an awesome game plan for him to beast out.

 

[MiamiMuss]

Matthews is gonna go beast on some1

 

[Rhoadsy13]

CLASSY move by Fins! Thankful to all those that have & currently serve in our Armed Forces! Puts life in perspective for sure.

 

[NJPHINFAN79]

It's is great to honor these men for their service and unknowingly being pawns for the men and women who value life so lowly. But it's not a great thing that a lot of these guys are coming home wanting to join the police force, as everyday it seems they get more and more violent, more and more us vs them, everyday getting more and more militarized. Policing has become more about revenue generation and they way to keep for profit prisons full then hopefully what guys like Mr. Ruiz thought they were...a peace officer, a de-escalator, a community service provider, etc. Hopefully these guys and gals wake up to see exactly how the authoritative position has slowly but surely corrupted a system that focuses more on money grabs and protecting their own then the lives and security of the people they swore an oath to uphold. What happened to the local officer on the beat who knew everyone and could be trusted? Nowadays it's every bully from high school now with a pass to get away with it and it's a terrible thing to see and terrible that the large majority of citizens haven't wrapped their head around these terrible trends...

 

[Ruckus45]

Thanks to Ruiz and everybody else who has fought, and sadly sometimes died, for our freedoms. Without them we wouldn't have Sunday football or even these forums where we can frivolously bicker with each other. They lay down their life for us to have a way of life we should enjoy, and for that I am thankful. Glad to see the fins organization is as well.

Hope Matthews just goes off today.