New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson honored his late father on the 15th anniversary of his tragic passing.
Wilson, who signed with the Giants in the offseason, posted a picture of his dad – Harrison Wilson III – on his Instagram story.
’15 Years Ago we lost you. We miss you every day Dad. Keep shining down on me. Love you! Still can see your smile today,’ the 36-year-old quarterback posted.
Wilson’s father tragically passed away on June 9, 2010 due to complications from diabetes at just the age of 55.
His death came one day after Russell was picked in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.
‘(My dad dying) was one of the hardest days of my life,’ Wilson said (via The Denver Post). ‘It was the highest of highs next to the lowest of lows, all in 24 hours. And how the Colorado Rockies organization took hold of me, took care of me was (incredible).
Giants QB Russell Wilson (seen with wife Ciara) paid tribute to his late father on Monday
Wilson’s tribute came on the 15th anniversary of his father, Harrison III’s, passing
Wilson’s father inspired him to attend Wisconsin, which helped launch his storied NFL career
‘(Longtime scouting director and current Rockies general manager) Billy Schmidt, (scout) Jay Matthews and some other great people in this community really took me under their wing, and it really meant a lot to me along the way.’
Wilson would spend some time in spring training with Colorado and played in their minor league system in the summer. However, the desire to finish out his college football career still remained.
But after finishing top-15 nationally in passing yards with NC State, coach Tom O’Brien felt that Wilson wasn’t as committed to playing football after signing with the Rockies. The coach said that if Wilson did return, that there wasn’t a guarantee that he’d be starting.
With no NFL teams interested in drafting him – and O’Brien no longer wanting him – Wilson was released from his scholarship at NC State and looked to make a transfer.
On an episode of the podcast ‘Not Just Football with Cam Heyward’ from last August, Wilson said, ‘My dad used to always tell me when I was young, I was about seven, eight years old, ‘Hey son, you need to check out this school, you know, Wisconsin.”
So, when Wilson looked to make a move, he transferred to Wisconsin and the rest his history. He excelled with the Badgers, was selected in the third-round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, and became one of the teams all-time greatest players.
In spite of his father’s passing, Wilson manages to stay positive through his support system – especially his family, including his wife Ciara and his children.
‘When [my dad] passed away, I remember the next morning hearing like, “The sun still comes up in the morning”… No matter what we go through in life,’ Wilson said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. ‘Especially when you’re 1-of-32 guys… why would I be negative?’
