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Y'all know I'm no Bama fan, but I've always admired Gene Stallings. This is a great read.
This was pulled from another site.

So worth the read !!!

Gregg Thompson, Contributor Published August 4, 2008

All I ever really needed to know, I learned from Johnny Stallings.

You can go to the finest schools and get any advanced degree they offer.

Or you can read all of the business and self-improvement books you want.

But for a Ph.D in true wisdom, take a look at the life of Johnny

Stallings.

You may have never heard of Johnny. He had Down Syndrome. When he was

born, 46 years ago in Alabama, the doctors said he wouldn't live even a

year or two because of a severe heart defect. Other well-meaning doctors

advised his parents to put him in an institution. "In a year," they

said, "you'll forget you ever had him."

But fortunately for all of us, Gene and Ruth Ann Stallings didn't take

their advice. They chose to treat Johnny as a vital part of their

family.

And we are all the better for it.

As his father advanced his football coaching career - first at Alabama,

then to Texas A&M, the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals and finally to

a national championship in 1992 at Alabama - Johnny was an integral part

of the team. To Johnny, the most important person was the trainer.

Trainers take care of the players," he once said. "You can't win without

trainers."

To the day he died, Johnny Stallings wore a massive, diamond-encrusted

National Championship ring on his frail fingers, which were tinged a

grayish blue from the lack of oxygen caused by his heart condition.

Johnny was front and center in that National Championship team photo. In

fact, he was a part of every team his father coached, including the

storied Dallas Cowboys. The players drew inspiration from him. When

Johnny turned 40 years old, for example, his birthday party was attended

by a Who's Who of former NFL stars.

Johnny had some accomplishments of his own. He was featured with his

father on a popular national United Way TV commercial, has a playground

named for him at the RISE center in Tuscaloosa, had the athletic

training facility at Alabama named for him, and won a "Change the World"

award from Abilene Christian University.

But perhaps the most important thing that Johnny Stallings accomplished

is this: he taught us that it doesn't matter what awards you win, or

what worldly accomplishments you achieve, it is how you live your life

that matters most.

So what can we learn from Johnny Stallings?

. Every life matters.

The life of Johnny Stallings teaches us that God can use anyone, no

matter how insignificant in society's eyes, to make an impact on others.

Johnny had none of the things that you and I take for granted, but

Johnny touched countless lives in ways none of us can even begin to

imagine. Our materialistic, success-driven culture doesn't really know

what to do with people like Johnny. Society certainly didn't know what

to do with Johnny when he was born 46 years ago. But God did.

. See the good in everyone. "Be my friend."

When Johnny got to know you, you became his "friend." And he never

forgot you. Despite being mentally disabled, Johnny never forgot a name

or a face. Johnny literally saw no evil in people. Johnny had more

friends in his short lifetime than any of us will ever enjoy.

. Walk openly, simply and humbly with God.

The Bible tells us, "And what does the LORD require of you? To act

justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." That

describes the way Johnny lived. He could barely read or write, but

Johnny Stallings prayed the sweetest prayers you ever heard. He didn't

necessarily know the fine points of theology, but you could tell that he

knew God. He walked with God, openly, simply and humbly. And everybody

knew it, whether they acknowledged that God or not.

. Love unconditionally.

In Johnny's world, you didn't keep score or attach strings to love. He

loved unconditionally, all of the time.

. Smile. Laugh. Hug.

The last time I saw Johnny, we brought him a T-shirt from Dreamland

Barbecue in Tuscaloosa, one of his favorite places to eat. Johnny hugged

us. He patted us. He smiled all of the time. Johnny was one of these

people who always made everyone feel better just for having been around

him. Who among us can say that about ourselves?

. Treasure every moment.

Johnny, of course, was supposed to be put away in an institution.

Doctors told them Johnny wouldn't make it to age 4, and when he did,

they then said he wouldn't live past 11 because of heart and lung issues

common to people with Down Syndrome. Then we always heard that Johnny

wouldn't live past 16. And on and on. So with Johnny, you treasured

every moment.

. Little victories are the ones that matter the most.

Everyone focuses on the championships, but with Johnny, you celebrated

all of the little victories. Then, after a while, you realized that

those are the ones that really matter the most.

.Trust God because He really does know best.

Despite being frail and disabled, Johnny Stallings wore a National

Championship ring. Every member of that 1992 Alabama team will tell you

of Johnny's impact on that team. Johnny Stallings literally changed the

world and made everybody he met a better person - if only for that

moment.

Gene Stallings, a star football player, champion ship coach and tough

enough to be one of Bear Bryant's legendary Junction Boys, probably used

to dream of a son who would be an impact player, who would change the

world, make a difference and someday maybe - just maybe - wear a

National Championship ring.

"I prayed to God that He would change Johnny, but He changed me," Coach

Stallings once said in a speech. He added that if God offered him the

choice of going back and having a "perfect" son without a disability or

having Johnny, "I'd take Johnny every time."

Gregg Thompson is a 1972 graduate of Paris High School, former sports

writer for The Paris News and currently director of corporate

communications for Chick-Fil-A in Atlanta, Ga.

He is a great speaker.
He was at Hinds about a month ago giving a motivational talk to area coaches.

He makes the speaking circuit in MS every few years as well.

When John Mark Stallings was born, the doctors reported to Dad and Mom that he was a "mongoloid" - now named Down's Syndrome - Dad (Gene) passed-out in the hospital upon hearing the news.

When "Johnny" was asked who his favorite coach was, he replied, "Nick Saban." Interesting.

Here's a personal story about John Mark Stallings that I encountered:

Back in the early '90's, I attended the Bama/Ole Miss game in Oxford (have been to every game in the series since '88). After the game, I went down towards the locker room to await the Bama players as they had showered and gathered their belongings to load the team buses.

Once all of the players and coaches had boarded, there were five Alabama State Troopers to lead the way, positioned at the head of the convoy. Once the loading was completed and all were staged for departure, they gave John Mark the "signal" as he sat in the passenger seat of the lead patrol car. He flipped the switches to illuminate the blue lights and sound the sirens - and all began to roll out of the stadium parking area with another victory.

You should have seen the look on his face. It literally went from ear to ear. And, from that day forward, I truly understood the relationship he had with all of the Bama players, coaches and fans.

RIP - Johnny

John Mark was buried with a NC ring on his finger.

duckter wrote:When John Mark Stallings was born, the doctors reported to Dad and Mom that he was a "mongoloid" - now named Down's Syndrome - Dad (Gene) passed-out in the hospital upon hearing the news.

When "Johnny" was asked who his favorite coach was, he replied, "Nick Saban." Interesting.

Here's a personal story about John Mark Stallings that I encountered:

Back in the early '90's, I attended the Bama/Ole Miss game in Oxford (have been to every game in the series since '88). After the game, I went down towards the locker room to await the Bama players as they had showered and gathered their belongings to load the team buses.

Once all of the players and coaches had boarded, there were five Alabama State Troopers to lead the way, positioned at the head of the convoy. Once the loading was completed and all were staged for departure, they gave John Mark the "signal" as he sat in the passenger seat of the lead patrol car. He flipped the switches to illuminate the blue lights and sound the sirens - and all began to roll out of the stadium parking area with another victory.

You should have seen the look on his face. It literally went from ear to ear. And, from that day forward, I truly understood the relationship he had with all of the Bama players, coaches and fans.

RIP - Johnny

Great Story

RIP