Sports tell stories every day. Sometimes the score of a game paints the picture, sometimes a triumphant win or devastating loss represent a journey, and some time a story emerges from human interaction.
A great way to highlight the human moments is through a feature story. In sports writing especially, features can provide an insight into an emotional human story. The responsibility of the writer is to accurately tell the story of someone that usually tugs at the heart strings of the audience.
One story that does this is Greg Bishop’s article for Sports Illustrated A College QB’s Suicide. A Family’s Search for Answers. This feature takes a look into the suicide of the late Tyler Hillinski, a former quarterback for Washington State, and his family’s response to the mental health stigma for athletes.
Bishop reached out to the Hillinski family to accurately portray their emotions surrounding their son’s death. The topic of suicide and mental health awareness is not an easy subject to talk about. On top of it, the Hillinski family showed plenty of guilt and regret in their son’s untimely death.
The power in this story is not just from the subject material. The message of the Hillinski family is of hope and change. Following Tyler’s death, the Hillisnki family started the Hillinski Hope foundation, which works to combat the stigmas of mental health for athletes who are regarded as larger than life.
Kym Hillinski, Tyler’s mother, has this goal in mind: (Hillinski’s hope is) “Our why for getting out of bed every morning.” The Hillinski’s believe that by raising awareness for suicide and mental health, no parent will ever have to deal with what their family has endured.
To an average sports fan, the news of Tyler’s death would be sad, but they could not comprehend what the impact of his life would mean. That is why Bishop’s work on this feature story ouches the hearts of those who read.
Matthew Covers Sports 