Aaron Hernandez - Family Hero to Murder Suspect

Athletes do not have to acknowledge their fans. Few of them do, and no one really holds it against them. Why would someone want to take hundreds of photos and sign thousands of autographs every time they set foot in public?

Some athletes, however, are not bothered by the fan-girl-syndrome. They’ll take pictures with their fans, sign some autographs. Some might even go so far as to converse with their followers through social media sources.

But Aaron Hernandez took it to the next level with my family.

In the fall, my grandparents won a lottery for tickets to a closed Patriots practice, which they passed off to my parents and two brothers. My family happily accepted the tickets, expecting solely to watch the practice and be on their way.

When the practice was over, however, they were in for another surprise. A few of the players came over to say a quick hello, signing autographs and taking pictures. Aaron Hernandez on the other hand, stopped by, and then stayed to talk to my family. He laughed with them, euphoric because it was the day he signed his new contract. His face wore the same smile he had been wearing while dancing around the field through practice.

After a while, my mother asked if Rob Gronkowski was going to come over too (she may or may not be a little obsessed). Hernandez, rather than laugh, screamed.

“GRONK!”

After a stern look and wave from Hernandez, Gronkowski made his way over to my family. As Gronk approached, Hernandez grinned because he knew he wasn’t just calling Gronkowski over, he was summoning a once in a lifetime meeting to my family.

Now Hernandez has been charged with murder, a shock to us all. He went out of the way to make a random family happy. He can’t be a killer … right?

Hernandez wasn’t a bad guy, at least not as far as I can see. Sure he got caught up in marijuana use after his father unexpectedly passed away, and got in a fight or two at college, but none of that suggests he was a born killer. Marijuana use and occasional bar fights aren’t exactly a rarity for college age males.

Not only that, but Hernandez seemed to be making big steps in the right direction prior to his arrest. Since joining the Patriots in 2010, he hadn’t been a cause for concern despite his troubled past, and appeared to be falling into the “Patriot’s way”, a mindset that caused players to forget their darker pasts and make football their only priority.

Such a mindset, coupled with the birth of his daughter, seemed to put Hernandez on a path destined for a successful and trouble-free future.

Obviously, that is no longer the case.

How does someone whose life is looking so bright throw it away in one night? Death and murder are not to be taken lightly, but for the sake of Hernandez, Odin Lloyd and both of their families, let us hope that there is more to it than just a cold-blooded killing.