'An Inspiration': CSU Hoops Player Who Lost Parents In Fire Plays The Next Day
By Tom Mustin
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - The Colorado State men's basketball team defeated Air Force 83-79 in Colorado Springs Wednesday evening, and for one Rams player the game had a special meaning.
Emmanuel Omogbo dribbled the ball in pregame warm-ups and tried to concentrate on basketball.
"He's handled it better than the people around him. He's tried to be strong," assistant coach Ross Hodge told CBS4's Tom Mustin.
On Tuesday the 20-year-old CSU junior basketball player lost his parents and twin 2-year-old niece and nephew in the raging house fire in Maryland.
"I looked, I could see the flames. It was almost totally engulfed by then; you knew immediately if anybody was in that house they were gone," neighbor Glenda Harrison said.
On Wednesday night Omogbo traveled with the Rams to take on Air Force in Colorado Springs. He told his coaches that his parents would have wanted him to play. Hodge says the grieving player has been an inspiration to his teammates.
"His biggest request is he didn't want to be a distraction to his teammates and to the program, which speaks to the type of person he is," said Hodge.
Omogbo entered the game to applause from fans on both sides.
"I'm pulling for him. I'm hoping everything works out for him," said Air Force fan Bonnie Bonnen.
CSU fan BIll Hughes agreed.
"I really respect him for wanting to go out there and play because he's part of a team," Hill said. "But he's out there with a heavy heart and we'll all be pulling for him."
Air Force had wanted to honor Omobgo's family before the game, but Hodge says the player was uncomfortable with the spotlight.
"He respectfully declined saying, 'I don't want it to be about me,'" Hodge said.
Omogbo scored one point in the Rams win over the Falcons. On this Wednesday night in Colorado Springs a grieving young man with a long road ahead made his parents proud.
"Just keep him In your thoughts and prayers. That's all we can do right about now," said Hodge.
Investigators have still not found a cause for the fire. They do say the family did not have a working smoke alarm, and the fire is not suspicious.
After the Wednesday's game Omogbo posted a tweet thanking everybody reached out to him and his sister in their time of mourning.
Head coach Larry Eustachy said he and an assistant coach will fly back to Maryland with Omogbo for the funeral.
The Red Cross said having working smoke alarms and an escape plan are critical because you only have about 2 minutes to safely escape a fire. The organization will come to your home and install smoke alarms for free, and help develop an emergency plan. It is part of a five-year campaign to reduce deaths and injures from home fire.
Additional Information From The Colorado State University Department of Athletics
In response to the tragedy that occurred to junior men's basketball player Emmanuel Omogbo and his family, the Colorado State University Department of Athletics has established a GoFundMe account (http://www.gofundme.com/Omogbo) to assist with various expenses. This account is in compliance with NCAA rules regarding these situations and allows all fans, donors and supporters to contribute to particular expenses for Emmanuel and his family.
LINK: Read The Entire News Release
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Connect with Tom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @TomCBS4.
