Letter: Parents must be aware of sports injury risks

I'm praising the Daily Herald for front pages coverage of the brain injury issues related to student athletes.

For the past 17 years, I have been the "chicken-little-the-sky-is-falling" warning parents of the reality of injury that destroys their kids lives.

I am proud of our work in forming the Gridiron Alliance as a means of furthering awareness to the potential injury caused by collision sports for student athletes.

Kenneth Jennings is a man affected by spinal cord injury and Steve Herbst too. Listen to what they have to say!

The three of us and Coach Pat Fitzgerald and Rob Johnson of CBS are on a "kick" to ensure that parents are aware of concussion and related injuries. Awareness is the first and essential first step in decision making that does not ignore realities.

Parents must take responsibility to look out after the brains and spines of our children. No one does a good job these days realizing how fragile the brain is and what collisions in sports can do to kill kids futures.

Jennings and I will work with Coach Fitz at Northwestern to collect and issue the book: 2nd edition of Great Moments in Football Halftime as way to gain funds for Jennings and Herbst to raise awareness and be able to reach out to the next injured athletes.

We are committed to helping student athletes and families pick up the pieces when injury comes to live and destroy the lives they once knew. Now is the time to keep raising awareness. Now is the time to consider insurance and protections and rules and all that should go into the games we all enjoy.

Now is the time to be ready, and smart, and aware. The choices we make matter.

Don Grossnickle

Arlington Heights