OU football: Reader appreciates Stoops’ hospital visits

We have written over the years about Bob Stoops’ visits to Children’s Hospital. I did so again Wednesday, with the Stevy Cellum story.

I heard from a reader named Bob. I won’t publish his last name, because that’s not important. But he wrote just to confirm Stoops’ impact at Children’s. Here’s what he wrote:

I just read your article about Coach Stoops and his visits to OU Children’s Hospital. This is one of the best articles you have written. It accurately depicts the genuine concern displayed by Coach Stoops for those kids and their families.

Our grandson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia in August 2005 at the age of 8. He fought a courageous battle for the next 27 months but went home to Jesus on 27 September 2007 at the age of 10. During these months, our family spent many days on the 10th floor of OU Children’s.

Coach Stoops was a regular visitor to (our grandson) and the other kids. He sought no publicity. This was not a PR deal for him. He would sit and talk to Mitchell for several minutes. He would ask him questions and joke with him. He brought some of the players with him at different times. He would also spend time with the families. His visits were never the “get in, get out” variety. He had a genuine concern for these kids. On one occasion, he brought a specially-fitted OU cheerleading outfit for one of the little girls in an adjacent room. (Our grandson) always felt better after those visits. Even after his homegoing, Coach Stoops has kept in touch with his parents.

Coach Stoops is a very good football coach. He is an EVEN BETTER person. Our family is forever indebted to him for the time he spent with our grandson and the impact that he made and continues to make.

While on this topic, Coach Golloway and the OU Baseball program also really connected with Mitchell during his time at OU Children’s. They continue to support Mitchell’s memory and the fight against blood cancers by allocating a percentage of sponsor proceeds for homeruns/strikeouts to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. OU Athletics (and I’m sure OSU as well) are to be commended for their efforts in these areas.