londonrockinrollers

Friday, September 18, 2009
A Loss in All of Our Family
Roller derby is unique amongst all sports I have ever been involved with in that for 60 minutes it encourages you to kick someones arse but immediately afterward it bonds you together so that you end up laughing together, hugging, buying each other adult beverages, swapping phone numbers and friending each other on Facebook. It's like having a giant family all over the world that you hadn't had a chance to meet until they put on skates and knocked you on your butt. That family connection is proving itself right now because I'm actually sitting here wiping a tear out of my right eye as I report to you that tragedy has struck the North Star Rollergirls on the eve of what should have been their proudest, happiest moment. Yesterday, NSRG league member and Delta Delta Di intraleague team skater Stacey Morgan, aka Moxie Mayhem was walking her 3 month old daughter in a stroller when she was struck by a car and killed. Her daughter Zoe reportedly survived with barely a scratch.

Please keep her family and her league-sisters in your thoughts and prayers today. A lot of people in Minneapolis have to try to shake off the loss of a loved one and do their jobs hosting the WFTDA North Central Regional Championship all weekend. Despite the the pain, they know that the show must go on. I know they're strong and I know they'll step up and do a great job. The bouts will go on, teams will give their all on the floor, national berths will be won and the weekend will be a success. But even as this continues throughout the weekend, I know I speak for everyone in the roller derby world when I say that all of us feel like we lost a family member, even though we hadn't had a chance to meet her yet.


A fund has been setup by the North Star Rollergirls for Moxie Mayhem's daughter Zoe at http://www.northstarrollergirls.com/