Try Not To Cry Your Eyes Out Watching Washington's Zion Tupuola-Fetui Talk About Winning Tonight's Game Just Days After Losing His Father
Seatlle Times- UW senior edge Zion Tupuola-Fetui announced via social media Sunday that his father, Molia, has died.
“My biggest supporter, motivator and believer. MY DAD,” Tupuola-Fetui wrote. “Thank you for showing me what it’s like to lead life with love. My picture perfect definition of what a man is supposed to be. Thankful for every second despite the hurt I feel now. Rest easy dad, no one deserved it more than you. I love you.”
A 6-foot-4, 254-pound senior from Pearl City, Hawaii, Tupuola-Fetui has contributed 14 tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks in seven games this fall. “ZTF” participated in Wednesday’s practice and Schmidt said services for Tupuola-Fetui’s father have yet to be solidified.
“That’s a phone call you don’t wish upon anybody, and obviously it’s an emotional time for him and his family,” Schmidt said. “So [it’s about] us being there to support him and make sure he knows he’s got a family here in Seattle too that cares a lot about him. Our guys have done a great job of rallying around him. You could feel there was a lot of heartfelt sympathy for him and what he was going through.
“It was one of those things where … football’s important, for sure. It’s a big part of his life. But it puts things in perspective as well.”
Zion Tupuola-Fetui had 4 tackles tonight including a sack and a half, but watching these videos and reading this story he played the best defensive game in the history of football as far as I'm concerned. Absolutely gut wrenching story to loss your father at such a young age and a powerful act to be there for your teammates when you have every excuse not to be and play in a game while grieving. A true testament to his character and his heart and soul to honor his father by being there for his teammates to watch down on the game he loved so much, and that his father loved watching him play. Absolutely heart wrenching to watch that raw emotion just pour out to his coach and in the interview after. I cannot imagine playing catch in my backyard under those conditions and this kid did it on the biggest stage in the world.
Fathers and sons and sports are the most pure bond of all things in this world. They teach us everything, we idolize them, and play for them, and lean on them to push us through every athletic event we take on. They are the first people we look to in the stands, and the first people we want to talk to after a game.Then when we get too old to play, they are the ones we call to watch the game with, and the first ones we want an opinion from. It's a beautiful connection, and I am thankful everyday that I still get to bond with my dad over sports. I cannot fathom what Zion Tupuola-Fetui has gone through this week, and went through tonight, or will go through the rest of his life. I just know that what he did tonight was a beautiful gesture to honor his father and to play for his teammates. Some Things Are Bigger Than Sports.