HUNTINGTON - Most of my column subjects are athletes.
This, however, is a story of a man who just happens to be an athlete.
It's a story of a man standing tall through adversity.
It's a story about Emanuel Byrd, who happens to play tight end for Marshall.
If you see the position and the name of the school you might think of standouts like Lee Smith, formerly of the NFL's Buffalo Bills now with Oakland. You might think of names like Cody Slate, Gator Hoskins and Eric Frohnapel, all of which had at least a cup of coffee in the "league." You might even think of the latest big target for quarterback Chase Litton: Ryan Yurachek.
Understandable.
Byrd, on the other hand, is a second tight end for MU and a second option for Litton at 6-foot-3, 241 pounds.
Yet there's not a player on the Thundering Herd roster that holds more respect in the eyes of the team's coaches.
Because of his upbringing in Albany, Georgia. Because of his struggles. Because of the way he's stood tall.
"I lost my mother [Peggy] in 2000, when I was 6 years old," Byrd said. "She died of an asthma attack, kind of in front of us one night. Me and my brother were at home. She was getting off work late because she worked at [Proctor & Gamble], the late shift.
"She would pick us up from my aunt's house and we were just going home. Well, she had a real bad asthma problem. She kind of passed out on the floor in front of us. We called the ambulance and all, but then the neighbors came by and heard all the chaos and helped."
He paused.
"She died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital," Byrd said. "I was 6 years old."
The father was not around.
"I know my father, but he's never been a part of my life," said the Herd tight end. "That's all I can say on that. He lived in the next county over from Albany."
Thankfully, Byrd's aunt, Claudia Marshall, stepped up.
"My auntie took us in," said the senior. "She was our guardian and raised us. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am."
Yet tragedy struck again.
"She died last year," Byrd said. "She had cancer three times. She had breast cancer that she beat. Then she had cancer my senior year [of high school].
"She was a fighter though. She fought a great fight. The last year before I came here, when I moved over from junior college in November, I was at home for, like, six months with her. When I was about to leave, we found out about a tumor in her mouth. She went for a dentist checkup. It swelled to golf ball size. She had surgery, but ended up passing the night of the FAU game, on the road [Oct. 17, 2015]."
Again, Byrd paused.
"I got a call at 3 o'clock in the morning," he said. "It shook me up. That was a big loss for me. Now, I just want to honor her. I just try to remember all she taught me. She tried to prepare me for these moments. But I want to pay my respect to her and honor her."
He's doing so with his play on the field, but moreso with his work off the field. He was named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2015-16 academic year.
"I was an honor student in high school as well," he said. "I finished high school in the top 10 or 20 with a 3.7 GPA. I've been an honor student all my life. I take [Advanced Placement] classes.
"That's what my aunt instilled in me. Books first before anything. With her passing, that's the promise I keep to her."
Everyone within Marshall's athletic department respects Byrd.
"When his aunt passed away," said assistant athletic director Mark Gale, "My wife Carol looked at me asked one thing: 'Can we adopt him?'"
Byrd, though, seems fine. Yes, making an NFL roster seems a long shot. He's a 'tweener at 6-3. He was a four-year starter at quarterback at Albany High. At Georgia Military College, he played quarterback, running back and wide receiver.
Yet he's studying sports management and marketing. He has a Plan B. And it's one that should earn straight A's from anyone grading.
"God willing, I'll get an NFL chance," Byrd said. "That would be big. But, if not, I want to go home and work with kids. We have a lot of great talent down there, but it needs leadership.
"I feel my story, how I made it out and made it on my own, with guidance from above, with what my auntie instilled in me, I can go back and give. I want to help them take it to the next level because we have a lot of talent there. I want to use my testimony."
So, hopefully, they too can stand tall.