Being a journalist has afforded me the chance to meet a great deal of people from all walks of life.
They range from the famous and the infamous. Among the most memorable was a breakfast interview with NFL Hall-of-Famer Walter Payton.
But no encounter has had more of an impact on me personally than meeting Henry “Red” Erwin almost two decades ago.
Often when I’m asked to speak to a civic organization, Erwin has been the topic. After meeting him for the first time, I knew I would share his story whenever I’m given the chance.
When I first meet him in his living room in Leeds, Ala., I wasn’t totally prepared for what I saw. Despite numerous surgeries, Erwin’s face still carried the scars of the signature event that shaped his life.
