Player Spotlight: The Fire - Sidney McKinley
by JAMoney14 | 3 years ago | 1 Comments
The Fire
By Jackson Grady
Tonight, the continually developing story of a devastating fire that ravaged an apartment complex in Mosley Gardens rolls on. Over 15 familes have been displaced in what the state is calling "One of the largest domestic fire disasters in Florida history"
There are times in life that challenge us all. A stressful test. A busy day at the office. A snag in a loving relationship.
There are also times that others cannot begin to understand. Times that - no matter the context you can give, no matter the levity of the situation - others will simply never understand without experiencing it themselves.
Maybe one of those experiences for many could be growing up alone. Growing up with much younger siblings and a single mother struggling to make ends meet.
Maybe one of those experiences is the expectation of holding a 3.9 GPA while also working part-time to make sure you don't end up on the street.
Let's back up.
Sidney McKinley was born March 11th, 2000 to Reina McKinley, a 19-year old single mother. Reina lived her life as a registered nurse, working at a local hospital in central Florida, the same hospital she would eventually give birth in. Reina - who perhaps deserves an entire piece covering her own story - had earned her associates degree despite being displaced several times and needing to move four times for various reasons. Reina McKinley had never given up her promise to complete her goal. Be it domestic disputes or financial troubles, she never once lost sight of her mission to complete her education.
In the summer of 1999, Reina moved for the fourth time... This time in with her boyfriend in a small apartment in Brandon, FL. After only 3 months, Reina found herself unexpectedly pregnant. Despite the surprise pregnancy and last-second living conditions, Reina pushed through to complete her goal.
In December 1999, Reina was physically forced out of her home by her then-boyfriend in a domestic incident. Despite being 5-months pregnant at the time, Reina quickly moved on from the man who impregnated her and move back in with a nearby relative in Tampa, FL.
The pain of being physically removed from not just a location, but a relationship, when in that position in your life, would break many human beings. Reina is different. Reina McKinley has always been different. It's always been a point for Reina McKinley to be different.
March 11th, 2000. That date was different too. Two different doctors rotating in and out of the room because of some kind of logistical or training error. Sidney McKinley was going to be born that day. That was his day. That was Reina's day.
Where does one go after giving birth? Where does a family set up shop in a world that has been nothing but uncertain and cruel? Where does a single mother with very little financial backing establish herself with a newborn? For Reina, the answer was Tampa, Florida.
Sidney McKinley was not named for his father. He was named as an intentional reference to royalty. Sidney McKinley was the product of a driven woman who refused to allow roadblocks to stop her from achieving her ultimate goal. Reina McKinley aimed to direct her son in that same direction from day 1. Sidney McKinley grew up with his mother in Tampa, Florida and soon showed that he was worthy of the reverence by becoming a two-sport athlete. A top star in both football and basketball, Sidney was touted highly by many high schools in the area.
Sidney McKinley was many things. A star running back. A star linebacker. A scholar. One thing Sidney McKinley was never accused of was being lazy. Those around him knew he was a quiet kid. He was driven. Not someone to be caught getting into "trouble". It's a certain reservation that is usually applauded when applied to "certain" kinds of players. It's a certain reservation that is associated with "not caring enough" for other kinds of players. I think for most, they knew Sidney was above those stereotypes. The presence was too much to ignore.
Despite the difficulty, the McKinleys opted to make the decision to move back to Melbourne to attend Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, one of the top high school football programs in the nation. In a program that saw some of the best future players in the country, including safety Isaiah Wilder, showing off their swagger and confidence.... Sidney continued to commit to his own style of reserved dominance. Off the field, McKinley continued to hang back, staying in tbe background rather than presenting himself as a top guy.
Sidney McKinley never lost sight on the full picture. Despite his promise, Sidney McKinley knew that his odds of ending up in the Red Zone Football League were slim to none and he knew that pretending anything was guaranteed was a fruitless venture. Sidney McKinley knew that success was in his future one way or another. As a student, McKinley was routinely touted as a model, setting a standard for his peers and his elders alike. As a 15 year old Freshman, he was able to transcend the football field as he was beginning to catch the ire of some top-level schools... not for his ability to carry the football... but for his ability to carry a conversation.
Sidney McKinley was the pinnacle of a student athlete for four years at Holy Trinity. As a Junior, McKinley secured the starting job and never looked back. Despite not being named "captain" for the 2017 squad, McKinley led the team in total yards from scrimmage, with 1,571 yards rushing and receiving and 15 total touchdowns. The proficiency of McKinley eventually caught the eyes of more football oriented-programs like Florida and UCF.
During this time, Sidney was introduced to his brothers. Reina would give birth to three boys over the course of 5 years. He grew very close to his brothers, becoming a role model for them. Sidney often forewent parties and social events in lieu of taking care of his younger brothers.
As McKinley's final year at Holy Trinity began, so did the noise from collegiate programs. With a clear upwards trajectory and an elite 3rd year on his resume, there was no doubt that Sidney McKinley had it made...
The early morning of July 27th, 2018, authorities are called to a small apartment complex in Mosley Gardens in Melbourne Florida. Fires ravage the complex, forcing families out of their homes. The accounts of the early morning vary. Some say the fires began as early as midnight and some claim they sparked the minute the police arrived. Because of the time of day, most accounts are uncertain.
There is one thing that is certain. The entire housing complex is in ruin.
Families are forced from the beds they had just laid their heads on. They are now struck with the reality that their possessions... Their very way of life... All of it has gone up in flames before their eyes.
Amongst the crowd of ill-fated families are the McKinleys. Reina, Sidney, and his 3 younger siblings. They have no choice but to stand and watch their entire life burn. Florida officials to this day name this as one of the largest domestic fire disasters in state history. Just before what would be the biggest year of his life, Sidney can do nothing but hold his mother and younger siblings close as the firefighters try in vain to save the place they called home.
If you know anything about the McKinleys, you know that this cannot be the end of their story.
Going into his final year at Holy Trinity, the reserved Sidney McKinley receives an outpouring of support from the local Holy Trinity community, to the point that it makes national headlines.
"Holy Trinity family rallies around star football player"
Donations. Letters. Outreach. For the first time in his life, Sidney McKinley was positioned as a victim. He was positioned as someone who didn't need to "pull himself up by his bootstraps" and outwork everyone. He was not positioned as just another kid with an uncomfortable childhood. He was no longer able to stay in the background. He was at the forefront.
The 2018 regular season for Holy Trinity began with a standing ovation in honor of McKinley. He waved. He acknowledged the support from his community.
Sidney McKinley was the hero on the field for Holy Trinity, but after the new living situation for his family became desperate, Sidney secured a job at a local supermarket to make money for his family. Because of his age as an 18-year old senior, McKinley was able to work after school most days to ensure his family was able to continue living in their new Melbourne home after the fire. Despite working a near-full-time schedule, Sidney McKinley maintained his studies, retaining a 3.9 GPA through his last year of school at Holy Trinity.
As news of McKinley's perserverence reached more outlets, the support continued to flow. Sidney McKinley, the son of a mostly reserved, incredibly dedicated woman, had followed in his mother's path and had still somehow found himself in the crosshairs of the national media.
Then, he ran for 218 yards and 2 TD, catching 1 more TD through the air in an early-season route.
The performance and the story propelled Holy Trinity and Sidney McKinley into the headlines, not only receiveing a primetime spot on local news channels, but also on ESPN and FOX Sports. Sidney McKinley became what he never asked to be. He was thrust into a position he never wanted. He became an icon. After a later game, in which McKinley ran for 176 yards, a local reporter attempted to get a word from McKinley during the early season.
"Sidney, you have been incredible thus far this season... The entire community and staff here at Holy Trinity has rallied around you. With your obvious talent and the tragedy you had to face earlier this year, how has that affected your outlook coming into this season?"
"You know... Everyone keeps talking to me about the fire. They only want to ask me questions because of it, like it's who I am. That fire took my possessions and my home, but I don't let it define me. I just try to be the best player I can be out there. I use it as motivation. As far as these other teams are concerned, I am the fire. I just hope they can fight through as well as we try to do day in and day out."
And fight through it he did. Sidney McKinley would go on to rush for over 1,900 yards in his final year at Holy Trinity.
Despite working to help contribute to a positive living arrangement for his mother and younger siblings... Despite maintaining an impressive 3.9 GPA... Despite rushing for over 1,900 yards in his senior year and not missing a single game due to injury, doubts started to linger about Sidney's committment to football. As other top rushers were easily eclipsing 2,000+ yards and seeing more on-field success than Holy Trinity, Sidney began to receive less and less calls from top-level coaches in the NCAA. Programs like Florida State and UCF opted not to offer him a scholarship.
However, nothing hurt McKinley quite as much as Florida's hesitation to offer him that scholarship. Still considered a 4-star prospect, McKinley received offers from top east coast programs such as Clemson and Georgia, but never had an offer from the local powerhouse, the University of Florida. The Gators offered fellow Holy Trinity star Isaiah Wilder a full scholarship and the teammates fully expected to spend the next 4 years together... but unfortunately, their next several years would end up being across the field from one another.
In February of 2019, Sidney McKinley tearfully announced his intention to attend Georgia University.
McKinley wasted no time in establishing his dominance, rushing for 1,537 yards and 14 TD as a 19-year old true freshman. McKinley's talent was perhaps no more relevant than in a week 4 showdown against the rival Gators, as he stared down his former high school teammate across the field. McKinley would rush for 181 yards and while he was unable to score any touchdowns himself, he was a key factor in the Bulldogs 34-21 victory on that day.
The unbelievable performance of the true-freshman was not lost on the national media, who - taking his quote from his interview the year before - dubbed him "The Fire". Sidney McKinley was once again on the national stage, taking back control of the tragic fire that threatened his family and his way of life just 1 year prior.
McKinley had a reasonable year two, seeing slightly less touches due to further star freshman being integrated into the fold in 2020. He would continue to be the primary piece of the Georgia Bulldog offense, rushing for 1,209 yards and 16 TDs, adding in 8 TD's through the air. Georgia would see less success in McKinley's sophomore season... but the best was yet to come.
Tragedy is the great inspiration of the human spirit. The very nature of humanity as we experience it is pushed forward by both inspiration and heartbreak alike.
“There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength."
On October 28th, 2021, Reina McKinley was killed in a 2-car collision on the Florida Turnpike at 11:51am. Reina was on her way to her son's October 30th NCAA football game against the Florida Gators. Reina McKinley was 40 years old.
Sidney McKinley, as he had done for his entire life prior to that day, put on his shoulder pads and kept to himself. Sidney McKinley aspired to be the soldier that his mother had been during her life. Knowing that he would never again see the very woman who has inspired him to become the man he was to that very day, Sidney walked onto Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Griffin Stadium. Sidney walked into "The Swamp", one of the most hostile territories in the entire SEC, as the best player on the opposing team.
Just 2 days after the death of his mother, Sidney rushed for 247 yards on 27 carries and 3 touchdowns. While the Gators would win the game 48-41, the entire stadium rose to their feet after the clock struck 00:00. Through everything, the team who Sidney McKinley had yearned to play for his entire high school career, the team who never pursued him with a full scholarship, the team who had just defeated his Bulldogs... Were standing together.
Both teams stood centerfield as Sidney McKinley received a standing ovation in an unprecedented moment that cannot be replicated. No video game. No film. No replication. This was sports and comradery on full display in support of a boy who never asked for a single ounce of attention in his entire life. A boy who was born alone and scared to multiple doctors in a chaotic atmosphere. A boy who had every excuse to lash out and rebel against the unfair circumstances he was born into. A boy who had kept his head down and proved that he was more than his circumstance. A boy who was not a victim. A boy who truly was The Fire.
The 2021 Georgia Bulldogs would go on to win 10 games and narrowly miss out on National Championship consideration.
Sidney McKinley would rush for 2,115 yards and 19 total touchdowns, playing in all 13 games in his junior year.
As a 21-year old Junior, Sidney McKinley was named the Heisman Trophy winner during an RZSportsNetwork broadcast on January 5th, 2022, beating out WR Jarred Hatchett and RB Malachi Wallace. The ceremony was an emotional affair, with McKinley receiving national acclaim for his performance in the 2021 collegiate season. He has since declared for the upcoming Red Zone Draft.
Despite the Heisman trophy on his mantle, Sidney McKinley still sits behind several RBs on many media pundits big board. Red Zone analysts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper both cite McKinley's inability to break through the 2nd level as a weakness, while Matt Miller and Donovan McNabb recognize his ability to carry an offense with strength and speed on a down-to-down basis as a key reason why McKinley should be a top 10 pick.
On the field, McKinley's strength and resolve have never been questioned, nor his toughness in avoiding injuries. McKinley did not miss a single game during his entire collegiate career. While showing that he was a proficient pass-catcher during his high school career, McKinley settled into a bell-cow role at Georgia in his final two years, able to carry the football more than 20 times a games 8 times in 2021, more than any other running back in the FBS.
As the Red Zone sits today, just days away from the 71st Red Zone draft, Sidney McKinley will walk into the green room no different than any other room. He will bring his reserved nature. He will bring his confidence. He will bring his mother's resolve.
He will bring his Fire.
Who will be the one to draft Sidney McKinley during the RZ Draft this season?
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