The Aggies are taking on Kansas tomorrow in the NCAA basketball tournament, while one of the basketball teams alums is looking to take on violence in Chicago.
Shawn Harrington's basketball career was cut short with a knee injury, but he still considers himself a proud Aggie. After college, he began teaching and coaching in his hometown Chicago, and last year a tragic event changed his life.
"On my way to work and to drop my daughter off at school," Harrington said. "And the car I was in was mistaken for someone else's car and two guys opened fire, and me and my daughter were under fire by a barrage of bullets. I pushed her down to try to protect her as much as I could, and kind of got over the top of her and protected her. And doing so I was shot twice in the back, and I've been paralyzed from the waist down."
Harrington's former coach and NMSU professor Rus Bradburd was touched when he heard the story.
"Because I have my own daughter," Bradburd said. "I was very moved by his heroic act. You know, Shawn likes to say 'anyone would have done what I did,' but I don't think that's true. I think that's really an astonishing thing."
With the help of his friends, family, former coaches, and teammates Shawn recovered, and is now using the experience to spread an anti-violence message in Chicago.
"Basketball and sports in general is definitely something that curbs a lot of kids away from violence and gangs in Chicago," Harrington said. "So, I try to be encouraging to most kids as I can. Not just playing sports, but using sports as a tool to continue their education also."
Harrington is speaking with coaches and athletes and letting them know what they can do to prevent violence. Rus Bradburd says he thinks Shawn can make a difference.
"You know the United States is filled with a history of sports being the leader in social change," Bradburd said. "If you think, Jackie Robinson desegregated Major League baseball in 1947 that was two years before the United States Army desegregated. And Muhammad Ali came out against the Vietnam War in 1966 that was a full year before Martin Luther King did. And so there is a long tradition, whether it's gay rights, or equal opportunity, or equal pay. There is a long history of sports being the leader, in racial progress especially."
Shawn says he is willing to share his message with whoever wants to listen.
"As much as I can get the message out and share it I would love to," Harrington said. "Whether it's here in Las Cruces, or back in Chicago, or in California, or New York. If me sharing my story can help to reach to some people and help open some eyes and ears, I would love to share it."
Bradburd has been very encouraging with Shawn's desire to share his message.
"What I said to Shawn when he told me," Bradburd said. "You've already saved one kids life, you're own, go save one more kid. Even if he save one more kids life I think it will be worth it."
Shawn says he doesn't know what he would have done without the support of Rus over the past year.
"He's a guy that's truly been heaven sent throughout this whole ordeal," Harrington said. "Right now, mentally, I don't know where I would be without Rus Bradburd, so tremendous hats off to Rus Bradburd. Coach Lou Henson even though he was never a coach of mine, he's always been recognized as a coach to guys from the Chicago area. We all would have loved to play for the University of Illinois while he was there. And I just missed him by a year coming here. So, it's been awesome the love and support that I've been getting. I can't express my gratitude enough."
Harrington says along with sharing his story, he is looking forward to getting back in the classroom and teaching again.
