It's an interesting story, his. He was a tight end who made it to the pros but briefly. Reuland was on the Ravens in 2015; he got into four games, started one. Before landing in Baltimore, he was a New York Jet for two years (2012 and 2013), with 12 receptions for 90 yards and no touchdowns.
And then, as 2016 drew to a close, so did the life of Konrad Reuland. He passed away last December from a brain aneurysm.
And not to minimize his football career in college (Stanford) and in the NFL, because only a tiny percentage of those who pull on shoulder pads even make it that far to begin with, but the would-be football hero is more a hero for what happened after he left this world.
He has saved 75 lives through his gift of organ donations. His parents wanted his gifts to live on.
The Ravens had a ceremony recently to honor him, during which his parents were presented with the game ball from their 40-0 win over the Miami Dolphins. Attending along with his folks was baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew, who is alive today because Konrad's heart and kidney are now his.
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| Rod Carew with Mrs Reuland and Konrad's brother |
Rod Carew wore #29 on his uniform for 19 major league seasons with Minnesota and the California Angels.
I love how numbers help close the circle.
And what a bittersweet moment for Mary Reuland, Konrad's mom, who was able to meet with Carew and actually hear her late son's heart beating yet in another man's chest.
I love how life keeps us all in a circle.
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