Dear Alex Smith.
I’m
sure you receive a large amount of mail from fans, and I am not even certain if
this will reach you, but I wanted to try. My name is Cameron Black. I moved to
Kansas City about a year and a half ago, with my wife Kat. I will not bore you
with my life story, but I would like you to know this much. I am now 29 years
old, and for the first 27 years of my life, I cared nothing about football or
any other sport. This was not because I didn’t like it or had anything against
it, it is because I was borne completely blind. As a blind man, I thought such
a visual sport as football to be something completely out of my reach and realm
of understanding, so I never even tried.
Upon
moving to Kansas City, I knew I was moving into a sports town, but primarily a
football town, so I had my father, who is a huge football fan, tutor me in
football. I apologize sir, I have a tendency to ramble, but here is the point.
I became a passionate fan of football. I now follow all football religiously,
but none more than the Chiefs. The Chiefs were the first team I have ever
became a true passionate fan of in my life, and you are the first football
player I have ever became a true fan of. I like all the other Chiefs as well,
but you, you are my quarterback. When I first moved here, my Dad told me, “Your
quarterback is Alex Smith. That’s the guy you need to learn about.” So I did.
I am a
huge fan of you as a football player, but I admire you as a person. I watch you
in your interviews, and you seem so down to earth, you seem so humble, you seem
so human, which is a quality that is not always visible in a pro athlete, and I
respect it immensely. Several people have played a part in a blind man being
able to see football, and you are one of them. It is because of you, that I
have become a passionate football fan and a die-hard Chiefs fan. It is because
of you that I as a blind man, am able to be a part of something that I thought permanently
out of my reach, and I just wanted the opportunity to thank you.
From my heart, thank you Alex for doing that for me, and
thank you for being my quarterback, and the first football player I ever became
a fan of.
When I
saw the news that you had been traded, I had heard that it was probably going
to happen all season, so I was not surprised, but I was disappointed. I
understand everything behind it. I understand that it is a football decision
and a business decision, and I am probably to sentimental about it. I’m sure
the Chiefs are in good hands, and I’m sure Mahomes will do a great job, but for
me, you will always be the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs.
I’m a
collector of football memorabilia, and I have been scouring the stores in
search of a #11 jersey to add to my collection, and I shall continue to do so
until I find one. I have tried entering the raffles on chiefs.com to win a
jersey, but to no avail. When my daughter was borne, in late November of 2016,
she was only about a little over a week old, when the Chiefs faced the Raiders,
in Arrowhead on Thursday night football. “That’s Alex Smith, #11, he’s our
quarterback.” I told her as I held her in my arms.
I will
stop rambling now sir. I always hoped I would get a chance to meet you, so I
could tell you in person what you playing for the Chiefs has meant to a young
blind man and his family. I wish you and your family the absolute best,
wherever your career may take you, but for me, no matter who takes the snaps
for the Chiefs, you will always be my quarterback. You will always be the
Quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs to me.
Your faithful fan.
Cameron Black.
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