When I found out what was going on when Phills died, my sympathy meter dropped, at least temporarily. His friends now say that driving fast was one of his vices, something that was part of him. So it's silly to pretend that Phills was perfect, as so many of the early reports made him seem. No one is perfect, and it sometimes seems that athletes are especially not.

Still, what we have to take from this is that life is fleeting. Phills was only 30, with a bright future ahead of him. His service to the community was outstanding. His basketball skills, especially as a defender, were great. I believe everyone who says he was a good person.

Who knows when we'll go? The point is what we do while we're here, and how we'll be remembered by the people we leave behind.

The Thomas case is just as devastating, however. The statement "It could have happened to anyone" really applies. The same day that he got into that accident, 11 people died on Kansas City roads.

Thomas wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Neither was the passenger who died. The passenger who was went home from the hospital right away. Not buckling up on a day when the roads were icy was obviously foolish. I don't know if this was the way he drove or if he just forgot. I really hope it's not the latter--that would be too cruel.

But now Thomas has to live the rest of his life without being able to use his legs. This man once had 20 sacks in a single season. He once had seven in a single game. He was explosive, a speed rusher who had some power, and was for a time the single defender opposing offenses had to worry about the most, a la Lawrence Taylor.

Now he can't feel anything below his waist.