Tragedy just seems to happen all so sudden, doesn’t it? 

And it certainly makes one look at things in a different perspective. The Jacksonville Raiders semi-professional football does now. 

The Raiders’ 28-12 season-opening victory over the New Bern Grizzlies Saturday in New Bern was marred by the death of Grizzlies player Takirra Koonce. 

I found out about the incident after New Bern Sun Journal sports editor Randy Jones called me earlier in the evening. The NBSJ was covering the game and was to send us a write-up. 

Raiders head coach John Davis also called in the results to us at The Daily News and I was able to speak with him regarding the situation. 

Koonce was neither a Raiders player nor was he a former local high school athlete. He was, however, a person, and the fact he passed while playing football, it’s something you hate to hear. 

It’s these types of situations that make people remember there’s more to life than football.