As a father five times over, I simply can’t imagine doing what D’Onta Foreman did last season.
On the field, the Texas running back was an absolute beast. He led the nation in rushing yards per game at 184.4 -- next closest was San Diego State’s Donnell Pumphrey at 152.4 -- while his 2,028 total rushing yards were second to Pumphrey (2,133). On Nov. 5 against Texas Tech, Foreman ran for 341 yards, the third-highest total in Longhorns history.
In a profile that appeared on the NFL Network, Foreman revealed that, unbeknownst to those outside of the football program, his girlfriend gave birth to a baby boy on Sept. 16. His son was born premature and weighed just 15 ounces at birth; 50 days later, the infant passed away -- not long after Foreman’s historic performance against Tech.
In fact, Foreman learned of his son’s death as he was driving back to the hospital in Texas City after the game to be with him.
From HookEm.com‘s transcription of his interview with the NFL Network:I always dreamed of having a boy and naming him after me and you know, just seeing him grow. You know, just loving him.
“He was a fighter, you know. He would like fight and he’s going to make it and everything will be fine.”
...
“I really didn’t know how to feel. I was like numb. I was driving and then I was crying while I was driving. I was crushed and I was so hurt. I feel like something was taken away from me before I even really got the chance to experience it.
While nothing can ever replace Foreman’s loss, there is a silver lining in his story as the back’s girlfriend is again pregnant. The due date? The same day D’Onta Vanton Foreman Jr. was born.
Foreman Sr. is one of the players who are part of the pool for the NFL draft, which will take place this Thursday in Philadelphia.