Knight was teacher, coach, friend

Dear Coach Knight,\nI am a 52-year-old alumnus of Indiana University, bachelor's through doctoral. You have been part of my history, and I want to thank you and send my support in this unfair time.\nYou and some of your friends, Kurpius and Laning, encouraged me in my educational course. You encouraged me after the death of my son. You forgave a debt when I had to cancel a speaking engagement you had agreed to make. You let me watch Landon and Ray mature and shared your fatherly feeling for Patrick with us all. You instructed me about manners, along with 14,000 others, when we were disrespectful to referees. You gave of your time to encourage us to learn from history and do things to the best of our ability.\nWe all encourage or discourage others, and I want to give back some of the courage you gave me. It wasn't fair for my son to die or for Landon to live in a wheelchair, or for you to be separated from the legacy you built at IU -- but courage will see you through.\nMy faith tells me to pay all my debts but to never think I have finished repaying the debt of friendship. You are my teacher, coach and friend, so I sincerely offer my service if there is anything I can do for you. God bless you.