Broncos Country is in deep mourning. It came as an utter shock when it was announced that former Broncos wide receiver Demariyus Thomas passed away at the painfully young age of 33. So shocking was the news that for about an hour after the rumor was first floated, people couldn’t accept it as true. How could it be? Someone so young, the rest of his life ahead of him?
Demariyus Thomas pictured at Sport Authority Field in 2016. (Jerry Mellman)
In the hours and days that followed, the stories came a-pouring. One descriptor that was there from minute zero was “kind.” “Positivity” and “modesty” quickly followed.
But “kind”? A quality that is in short supply these days, when smugness, one-upping and so-called cleverness are the traits that too often dominate discourse.
A core value of Judaism, upon which so much is predicated, is kindness, as established by our patriarch Abraham and reiterated by Prophet Micah: “You shall attribute truth of Jacob and kindness of Abraham.” Perhaps it is no coincidence that it was our first patriarch — our fundament — who embodied this most difficult trait. G-d knew that if it isn’t there from the start, it would be that much harder to develop. So G-d made sure it was a trait imbued in humanity.
Demariyus Thomas was one who lived this trait. He cared about people. He worked intensely with and inspired youth. He was beloved by countless fans, his smile literally lighting up a room.
It pains us to learn that someone who brought so much joy to others was suffering from seizures in the past year. It reminds us that often we don’t know everything that’s going on with a person, so opt for kindness instead of judgement.
King Solomon taught: “A good name is more desirable than great riches” (Proverbs 22:1).
Demariyus Thomas will be remembered, probably foremost, for his on-field accomplishments. But it is his outstanding human qualities, above all his kindness, that in the immediate aftermath of his passing, that everyone who knew and interacted with him, deemed his most exceptional characteristic.
Rest in peace, DT.
