Hank Gathers is a name most may not recognize. However, on this day in 1990 and for weeks after, his name was splashed across newspapers, television, magazines, and the tongues of many. At 5:14 p.m., the 6-foot-7, 23-year-old star center forward collapses in a heap midcourt. At 6:55 p.m., he would be pronounced dead.
Playing against the Portland Pilots in the West Coast Conference tournament, “the Loyola Marymount (Lions) was already ahead 23-13 in the opening minutes when, on yet another fast break by the Lions, Terrell Lowery delivered the platonic ideal of an alley-oop assist from just across half-court. Gathers was on the receiving end of the pass, and he elevated effortlessly to slam home one of his most thunderous dunks…
“Trotting back to take his position in the pressing defense, Gathers slapped Lowery’s hand in acknowledgment of the assist, and, as he reached midcourt, turned to face Portland’s inbound pass. He took two lateral steps to his right. Then he collapsed. Gathers had been unable to make any effort to break his fall, and the impact of a 220-pound man hitting the floor was loud. A spectator later said that even if you hadn’t been watching Gathers at that particular moment, everyone heard him fall.”1
Gathers struggled to get up but the medical team that had rushed to his side told him to stay down. Gathers lost consciousness and CPR was administered. The teams retired to the locker rooms for what was to be a 10-minute break to collect their thoughts. This turned into 30 minutes, after which the game was called. Shaken, they just could not go on after the traumatic events.
During his senior year of high school, Gathers collapsed during a game. Doctors could not ascertain the reason but assumed it was heart related. Later, “he was found to have an abnormal heartbeat (exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia), and was prescribed a beta blocker, Inderal. However, Gathers felt that the medication adversely affected his play, and his dosage was gradually cut back. Originally prescribed at 240 milligrams per day, his Inderal dosage was cut to 40 mg per day over the next three months.”2
On February 26, 1990, as the WCC Tournament neared, Gathers’ medication was reduced one last time from 80 to 40 mg, on the condition that he undergo testing in a couple of days to determine if it was safe and effective at suppressing the arrhythmias. He did not show up for his test that week and avoided calls from his cardiologist’s office.”3 Though advised not to play, he just couldn’t quit and doctors eventually cleared him.
Following Gathers’ death, an autopsy was performed. It was found that he suffered from a heart disorder known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
As I read the account, it reminded me of a Bible story. Read the passage and then allow me to make some quick disclaimers. Luke 12:16-20 says, “And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: (17) And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? (18) And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. (19) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. (20) But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
Disclaimer 1: I am not suggesting that Gathers was trying to get rich.
Disclaimer 2: I am not calling Gathers a fool.
Disclaimer 3: I am not comparing the soul of Gathers to the soul of the farmer.
Here are the parallels that struck me. Gathers was young and had a seemingly rich, full life ahead of him. Though he wasn’t a farmer filling his barns, he was playing hard and filling his trophy case with awards. He may have been headed for the NBA. On February 3, 1990, his team competed against LSU and on that team was none other than Shaquille O’Neil. LSU won in overtime.
The other parallel is found in the suddenness of death. “This night” the farmer dies. “This night” a young basketball player dies. None were forewarned. It just happened. God knew but they didn’t. And their soul was required of them.
Now, I know nothing about the spiritual condition of Hank Gathers. But I do know that the evidence about the farmer points to him caring nothing for the eternal destiny of his soul and only interested in the temporary pleasures of life, making more money, and filling his barns. My guess is that the farmer has been in Hell for a very long time. I hope Gathers knew Jesus as his Savior so that when the last breath of life was drawn, he was “absent from the body, present with the Lord.”
Death can strike at any moment. We need to be ready, not for death itself but for where we will be the split-second after death. When our eyes close permanently on earth, we want to know for certain that they will open in Heaven. How can we know? Meditate on the closing verses and if you’ve never called upon Jesus to be saved, do that today.
1 John 5:11-13 says, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
1https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30880702/the-tragedy-hank-gathers-triumph-loyola-marymount
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Gathers#Heart_condition_and_death
3Ibid.
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