January 2013
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Ray Lewis' Statement on His NFL Retirement
The Hampton Roads Messenger 15 HRM’s Photos of the Month
Congratulations to Hampton artist Jessica Nemnich, for having her artwork chosen as one of four holiday card designs sent by the City of Hampton this past holiday season. One artist from each of Hampton's public high schools designed a winning card. “I [was] introduced to this contest through my wonderful art teacher Ms. Liddell,” says Jessica, a Bethel High School student. “It also counted as a class project grade, that's another good motivation.”
BY MARC SESSLER Ray Lewis is retiring after 17
tremendous seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
The 12-time Pro Bowl and
seven-time All-Pro linebacker delivered an emotional speech to teammates Wednesday before sharing his thoughts with the media in the following statement, courtesy of The Baltimore Sun:
"I talked to my team today and
I talked to them about life in general. Everything that starts has an end. It's just life," Lewis said.
"For me, today, I told my team
that this would be my last ride. I told them I just felt so much peace in where I am with my decision because of everything I've done in this league. I've done it, man. There's no accolade that I don't have individually but I've never played the game for individual stats. I've only played the game to make my team be a better team.
"Now, God is calling. God is
calling in so many other areas of life and my children have made the ultimate sacrifice for their father, the ultimate for 17 years. Whether it's jump on the plane, jump right back, go to school,
and I don't want to see them do no more. I've done what I wanted to do in this business and now, it's my turn to give them back something. It's either hold onto the game or keep playing or let my kids miss out on times we could be sharing together. I promised my son if he got a full-ride scholarship, Daddy was going to be there. I can't miss that. I don't know if I could sit in a meeting room and fight with that war.
"One of the hardest things in
the world is to walk away from my teammates because that's my brotherhood, the only thing that I ever played for is to be right there and to raise Ed and to be with Sizzle for so long and to sit next to him. We're so much on the same path. Does that part hurt? Absolutely. You can never rebuild those bonds. Those bonds are forever. But the chapter is huge for me to now step into other areas of life.
"I may be gone now. But I ain't
gone forever. I'm just going in another phase of life. I think my fans, I think my city, they deserve it. They deserve that whenever this road stops, for me not just to walk away and be like, 'I'm done.' I think we all get to enjoy what Sunday will feel like knowing that this will be the last time 52 plays in a uniform in Ravens' stadium."
Melissa Hunter is the Hampton Roads Regional Jail Corrections Officer of the Year. A 13-year employee at this facility, she directs and monitors inmate and other movements throughout the entire jail. In doing so, Officer Hunter guards male and female inmates who are considered to be the highest security risks. Congratulating her is Phil Geib, president of the Portsmouth Rotary Club. Also honored were representatives from the
Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office, and from the Police and Fire Departments. Photo by Howard Rodman
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Jessica also won first place in the High School category in Hampton’s Coliseum Central Winter Holiday Parade Poster Contest. Parade Committee members selected an overall grand prize winner and first place winners from local elementary, middle and high schools.
Photo courtesy of the City of Hampton
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