By: Russell Bowers

Over the last two years, the pandemic has disrupted daily lives and rituals that many never thought possible. Most have been deprived – sometimes by mandate, sometimes by choice – the simple act of gathering together as neighbours, friends and families.

One institution that has seen restrictions affect its practices is the Church. Regardless of faith or denomination, places of worship have seen a diminished ability to comfort others and provide solitude for reflection. 

However, as restrictions created obstacles, for some congregations, it has opened their eyes to new possibilities.

Reverend Amanda Taylor at St. Mark’s Anglican Church has noticed changes in how some demographics want to interact with her worship group.

‘Connection to Church’

“I don’t want to be too exclusive when I say this,” she begins, “but in a general sense, for our younger population, online is where it is for them. For my generation, we’re sort of in between and most times, there is no replacement for ‘in person.’ However, I spoke with one young person, probably 30-ish, and she made the comment, (COVID restrictions) ‘have been awesome for me because online is where I want to live.’”

Captain Sheldon Bungay of the Salvation Army has also noticed changes for his congregants.

“People’s entire connection to church, in general, has been impacted and changed,” he notes. 

“What COVID has done is speed up the inevitable. We were already moving away from thinking that church only happens within the four walls of a building. That we need to get outside and make an impact on our community, and be participants in the fight for justice and all those things. (The Pandemic) really pushed us ahead. So for me, that is putting volunteers and staff in place so we can increase our online presence. We’ve moved significantly to online at the St. John’s Temple.”

For many churches, online has meant broadcasting services via Facebook and other social platforms, as well as ecclesial websites. Yet, in the case of Reverend Oliver Dingwell, the timing has been serendipitous. His congregation at Cowan Heights United is his first since his ordination as a minister.

“The Seminary did not train me for this at all!” he laughs. “I graduated with my Master of Divinity, and the last three weeks of my degree studies were completely online.

“I think an advantage I had was that I wasn’t bogged down by things having to be done a certain way. So when it came to working together and troubleshooting to find creative solutions, I didn’t have too much baggage. Cowan Heights had been without a minister for two years, so they were willing to think outside the box as we navigated the initial stages of the pandemic. We were all open to trying new things, see what was going to work, and I was so grateful for them to take those kinds of risks.”

Tentative Nature

Reverends Taylor and Dingwell, as well as Capt Bungay are all relatively new in their roles at their respective churches. None knew what their parishioners were like or expected in the days before COVID. When restrictions in the province lifted on March 14, all noticed a tentative nature to the first Sunday that followed.

“We have vulnerable people in our community; seniors, the immunocompromised, we have children, and we wanted to make sure that everyone could feel safe,” remembers Rev. Dingwall.

“We still encourage physical distancing. We’re still asking people to wear masks as they move around the building. They can remove their masks if they are comfortable once they’re seated, but this past Sunday, of the 70 people in church, only two people took their masks off.”

At the Salvation Army Temple, Capt. Bungay noticed simple acts that were once commonplace took on new meaning for the 140 people attending services on March 20. 

“People were no longer offering their hand for a handshake, they were still keeping their distance a little bit,” he concedes. “In my pastoral role, showing up for people at their time of need is one of the most significant things we can do. Before, we would very quickly show up at a hospital bedside or in a person’s home. We no longer have that luxury and so a lot of our pastoral services have pivoted to online or through phone calls, distanced visits on a patio or front lawn.

“But,” he adds, “that’s key. Still showing up.”

Very Humbling

For most Christian denominations, Good Friday and Easter Sunday occupies a special place in the liturgical calendar and as those services come closer, all three officiants anticipate the possibility of different experiences. For Rev. Taylor, Easter Sunday will be her first sermon at St. Mark’s. Plus, it will be broadcast on NTV.

“When you’re in front of a congregation, you can read the body language to know when you’re resonating with people. But if they’re reading the bulletin or counting the tiles, then you can pivot. You say to yourself, ‘I got to shake it up.’ But when you’re looking at a webcam, you don’t get that, so it’s very humbling, because all you can do is go on to Facebook and we’d look up the numbers and say, ‘Oh, look, we’ve reached, a thousand people.’”

“COVID has forced us to rethink what should the Church be doing in 2022,” adds Capt. Bungay of the Salvation Army. 

“I think the days of sitting in a church expecting people to show up on our doorstep are very quickly moving beyond us. Now we need to be asking what does the Church do beyond its walls?

“And it’s not necessarily standing on a street corner with a bullhorn telling people about Christian values and what they should be doing with their lives. It’s simply coming alongside people, offering them help and hope. We need to get into the community, to remind people that they are loved – that they have their own gifts and talents and all those things are valued and loved and supported.” Ultimately, when it comes to the symbolism of Easter, much of what the world has been through is not lost on Rev. Dingwell.

See the Hope

“The Gospel of John says while it was still dark, Mary went to the tomb.  That’s kind of where we are – entering this season of joy, while it’s still dark. Just because the restrictions are gone, there is still this cold around us, a heaviness, an anxiety,” Rev. Dingwell explains.

“But we can see the light before us. And we can see the hope. In theological terms, we can see the hope in resurrection, of new life, new possibilities.

“Mary in the Gospel of John, doesn’t recognize Jesus after his resurrection and so, the Church is different coming out of COVID. Unless something like the pandemic happened to force us to think in new and creative ways, we just wouldn’t be doing them. There’s some real hope here for the kind of possibilities that lie ahead.”

For more visit: ntv.ca/category/programs/sunday-services/

As some prepare to celebrate Easter with family and friends this year, others won’t be gathered about tables piled high with food and sweets. 

Facing a variety of mental health challenges, addictions and life’s circumstances, many of our fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will spend the holy season quietly at home, or in safe havens like The Gathering Place in St. John’s. 

While there’s a whole host of reasons for being or feeling isolated, for too many the cause stems from abuse. 

The former Mount Cashel Orphanage, operated by the Irish Christian Brothers, is sadly well known for the abuse some of its staff and clergy inflicted upon young boys in their care during the 1940s, ‘50s and 60s. 

Described as Tragic

On Feb. 15th, 1989 the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary re-opened its 1975 investigation into child abuse on those premises. Soon after, the provincial government of the day established a Royal Commission, headed by retired Ontario Supreme Court Judge, Samuel Hughes, to investigate what occurred. 

What was uncovered could only be described as tragic, and bottom line, despite multiple and repeated complaints to authorities, everyone – from multiple government officials to the police to local newspapers – ignored what was being reported. Now, a generation later, following court battles galore, the local Catholic Church prepares to sell off many of their assets to pay restitution to those who suffered. 

As a result, many churches throughout the province will not be holding mass inside their stained-glass buildings this Easter season. The list of buildings and churches being sold to pay for the sins of those few in charge back in the day is long and few communities are spared.  

Basilica Complex will be sold. So too will St. Patrick’s and St. Teresa’s Parish churches. Corpus Christi, St. Pius X, the church that held so many heartfelt tribute services to those lost on the Ocean Ranger, Mary Queen of Peace Parish will all be sold. St. Edwards in Kelligrews too. Holy Family? Gone. St. Peter’s, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Trinity. The list goes on. And the emotional impact is real. 

Generations were married in these churches. Children were baptized and received their first Holy Communion. Loved ones were laid to rest. Thousands upon thousands of school children over the years twisted and turned and squirmed in their wooden pews near friends doing the same as they were taught the rosary and learned to recite the well known prayer that begins, “Our Father…” as part of their schooling. Memories were made. 

Laughter was shared. Tears were shed. 

Feel the pain

Now? It’s all gone. What makes this tale of abuse and restitution even more sad is that none of this will go far enough. 

Lawyer Geoff Budden, who represents survivors, has said he’s pleased the Catholic Church is moving ahead selling assets to pay the awarded claim, which includes the Archbishop’s residence in Outer Cove, but the properties sold won’t go near far enough. 

The total judgement was for $2.7 million, to be split between four men, but the claims are not complete and there’s well over 60 more men from Budden’s law firm alone that require compensation for abuse suffered at the hands of those in a position of power within the Catholic church. Tragic. Sad. Terrible. 

It’s all those things, but while my heart breaks for all those who suffered abuse, I can’t help but feel the pain of the many parishioners who, though no fault of their own, following decades of faithful attendance and church dues, must now walk away from their church, never to return again. 

While restitution usually means dollar signs, it’s so clear that the costs runs so much higher than monetary.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com

Unlike it’s December counterpart, the seasonal traditions of Easter aren’t nearly as universal as Christmas. The Herald celebrates some of the customs these Newfoundlanders hold dear

Easter has long had associations that fall outside of the religious observance, many of which hearken back to traditions and customs from many different societies and beliefs.

German immigrants to North American brought their Eastertide traditions to North America in the 17th century, with the most prominent being an egg-laying hare known as the Osterhase.

Decorating eggs go back to the 1200s for many Christian groups, although the idea of painting eggs can be found in Africa and Mesopotamia centuries before.

The lily flower originates in Japan and became a part of Easter celebrations in Canada following the First World War.

As for the fancy bonnet, it was long considered a Christian headcovering for Easter. It sprang up as part of a tradition of wearing new clothes at Easter, to coincide with the renewal, both natural and spiritual that comes with the changing seasons and religious redemption.

Here are a few of the memories some prominent Newfoundlanders and Labradorians recall about Easter traditions in their respective families.

SELINA BOLAND

“My mother, Laverne Squires, kept the Jewish Passover, which was often around the same time. We’d always get a chocolate bunny each regardless.

She taught us the enjoyment of the chocolate, but reminded us that the Easter Bunny wasn’t real and that the secular holiday shouldn’t take the place of the true meaning, which is how Jesus rose from the tomb, of course. I wrote a song about it years later, about how Jesus rode in on a donkey while people lay out branches for him. “A Man On A Donkey” was on my first album.”

JESSE STIRLING

My Easter memories of youth are of my mom always arranging an amazing Easter Basket for me, filled with all sorts of goodies like jelly beans, chocolate, and marshmallow treats. It was almost like a mini-Christmas morning, with anticipation for what the Easter basket would look like this year.

Now that I have a child, the Easter basket tradition continues. We also do an egg hunt with her three cousins (my sister Lydia’s kids). It’s so much fun to see the excitement on my daughter Olivia’s face as she races around and tries to collect eggs, and her older cousins are always gracious to make sure they don’t find all the eggs first, leaving some for Livvy.

My mom and dad love watching their three grandsons and one granddaughter run around on Easter morning looking for eggs, then we usually all go to church, followed by a big Easter brunch together.

My memories of Easter in Newfoundland is that it still felt like winter outside, with snow on the ground. Let’s get real – we are all ready for summer in Newfoundland by May 24!

With Covid restrictions lifted, this Easter will probably feel extra special for many, as we are allowed to now gather together. 

For me, this creates extra appreciation for the moment, for the little things, like going out to a restaurant or going to church. Being free and happy. And celebrating that Jesus is risen!”

BILL GREGORY

“A tradition for my family that started probably in the early 2000’s was flipper pie on Good Friday. My mother makes a mean pie and she says it’s all in the “prep work.”

I remember one year when I was a kid (late 70’s/early 80’s), I woke up really early on Easter Sunday and went to see what the Easter Bunny had left for me. Normally, I’d get a bunny and some chocolate, and then the egg hunt began. But this Easter, there was nothing! So, I went to my parents’ bedroom and said, “The Easter Bunny didn’t come!”

My mom was still asleep so she groggily replied, “Oh… he hasn’t been here yet. Go back to bed.” I did, and a few hours later as daylight finally shone though, Peter Cottontail had arrived. Looking back, it must have been a chore for the Easter Bunny to hide eggs in a small saltbox house with six kids.

These days, it’s fun being around my nieces and nephews, and others close to me with children. It’s the excitement of discovery as we watch them frantically look for eggs and toying with them when you hint that you can see more. Then, of course, the inevitable sugar crash. Sometimes, Easter eggs can still be found days, even months, after. It’s like needles from a Christmas tree.”

PETRINA BROMLEY

“We were a Catholic family, so Easter was more about church than chocolate. However, we did have a few days off from school! I remember a lot of girls in my class would take family trips to Florida at Easter and I was always envious.  They’d come back with shell rings and necklaces and tans, and it seemed like such an exotic thing to me. 

There was one Easter though, when my mom gave my sister and I handmade dolls. Someone at her work was making them and she bought us one each, a Raggedy Ann and a Raggedy Andy. They’re beautifully done and we still have them!”

AMY HOUSE

“I don’t remember having a basket when we were growing up in Stephenville, or an Easter egg hunt. It seemed like other people had baskets in hay and things like an Easter hunt. 

But still, I remember our table being full of chocolate eggs at breakfast, and this one Easter, I remember my father was out on the grass in his bare feet, and he got stung by a bumblebee!”

BERNI STAPLETON

“I actually have very, very strong emotional memories about Easter because my mother, Geraldine Stapleton, was a teacher and she always made sure that I had a new coat and new shoes for Easter.

It was always something that I thought was going to transform my life because I would usually order them from the Simpson-Sears catalogue. I always insisted on wearing them to mass on Easter Sunday, even though there was usually still snow around at that time. For some reason that was the tradition my mom created just for me.

But I also remember all these religious movies on TV portraying the crucifixion, and me with my little brothers would watch these horrible things being done to this poor man. 

We’d watch in terror and not be able to sleep the whole weekend. So, Easter Sunday was always a big deal for getting a new coat and being terrified.”

KELLIE CULLIHALL

“I grew up in Deer Lake and in Grade three, our teacher, Mrs. Luther, had us do a project making bonnets for Easter. I had no idea what an Easter bonnet was, but anyone who wanted could make one at home and bring it in for display. 

I’d use any excuse to dress up and even had my own tickle trunk and so my mother and I set about making what was basically a fancy hat. 

I very proudly went off to school with my “bonnet” and even though, not a lot of my classmates made them, we did get a picture of the whole class which I still have.

In our family, my grandfather was an expert at blowing eggs. He would put a small hole in both ends of an egg with a needle and then blow into one hole until all of the contents come out of the other end. 

It hurt my face, so grandfather would do them all for me so I could just focus on my expert six-year-old decorating skills.”

There’s so much fun to be had at Easter time in Newfoundland and Labrador. There’s outdoor fun when the weather is fine, and depending on what Eddie Sheerr says, kids can either go sledding or ride their bikes. It’s weather permitting outdoor fun for every corner of NL in spring!  

For our cover kiddies, Easter is all about family time. From moments spent with mommies and daddies, to special time bonding with nannies and poppies, Easter is a time to relax and have fun! Three of our cover kids are related, so cousin fun is always a bonus, but Kaleb and Avery have become great friends thanks to The Herald and now have great play dates too from time to time. 

Enjoy this special time and stay safe everyone! 

Hudson & Spencer Langmead

Spencer and Hudson are brothers and  say they are excited for the bunny to hop on over to their home this year.  Family pooch Oreo might feel a little different, however. “I hope Oreo doesn’t frighten the Easter Bunny away,” Hudson said. Spencer was just excited for the chocolate eggs, and he was fairly confident that he’s getting “lots and lots,” this year. Spencer loves his video games and Hudson would love lots of chocolate! 

Avery Hanlon

Avery shared that the Easter bunny  sometimes brings toys and games and that made everyone feel pretty excited. 

“I like to colour and draw, so maybe some new markers and some paint,” she said. 

Kaleb Pardy-Robinson

Kaleb, 5, remembers last Easter “like it was yesterday,” he said while having his pictures taken for The Herald.

“We hunted for hidden eggs, and it was so much fun and I found one a long, long time after Easter was over, only it was green so I couldn’t eat it,” he shared. Kaleb loves spending time with his family, and outdoor time is always egg-stra special! 

Easter Fun for everyone!

Kaleb, 5, is an old man in a kid’s body, his mommy shared. “He spends lots of time with Nan and Poppy so he loves fishcakes for breakfast…” she said. But he still also loves chocolate! Hint, hint! 

Stephanie O’Brien, the brilliant and charming co-host of OZFM’S Morning Jam, has had quite the year. Daughter Charlie is in Kindergarten now and at the same time she was homeschooling due to COVID shutdowns, O’Brien was often live on air with her morning show co-host Randy Snow. Then, ‘the COVID’ struck.

“Yes, the good old COVID came calling,” she opened with a what-can-you-do grin. 

“A week before Christmas and we’re trying to live our best lives under all the pandemic protocols and then we get a phone call from a friend.”

A baby of a friend in their bubble had tested positive for COVID. Charlie tested positive immediately, though she wasn’t sick, while Stephanie and husband Drew tested negative. At least at first. Before long, the entire house had it, but the only one with symptoms was Stephanie.

“The child I gave birth to tormented me all day long while I was in bed. Every time I tried to rest my child would pull up my eyelids. ‘Mama. Do you need anything? Can I get you water? Look at this game, mama?’

“I’m like, ‘Oh my God, you’re going to drive me!’”

So much activity

There’s always so much activity, she added, even in a ‘sick house.’ “There was a lot going on and I always try to find a way of putting it in perspective. And I thought about people that I know that have more than one child. Homes where everybody got sick at a different time and they ended up isolating for like two months. So, you know, it could have been worse,” she said.

Charlie was her main concern, and even though she wasn’t sick, Stephanie was. Thankfully, Charlie’s symptoms “were not that bad.” “Drew and I had had all our shots and honestly, it could have been a lot worse. I’m grateful just for the bonding time,” she said laughing.

During that bonding time, the antics of Stephanie and Charlie became pretty well-known. From “On Air” to “On TikTok,” their interactions have been fun to tune into.

“One of the things that I promised I would always be – which I’ve been my whole life – was to really stay true to who I am and be my best self. I think that’s how people relate to you, if it’s not an act,” she adds.

“When I see something that’s funny happening, or that I know would make somebody smile, capturing it might take five seconds out of my day, I’ll do it because I’ll laugh at it too,” she says of her posts.

Stephanie always seems to embrace life, seeing the humour in things even when they go wrong. “That’s pretty accurate. But I will say  there’s always the flip side of everything.

“There’s a real moment where you come home and I just want to be very quiet, but I feel like my husband and my child don’t always get the best me. I’m entertaining on air and I try to be authentic, but when I get home I like my downtime and I don’t want to play, or I don’t want to be laughing and joking.

“My husband’s super funny. My child is always entertaining. But on some days I want quiet. However, even that’s hard because there’s always something funny happening, so I get pulled in,” she laughs.

And what about her husband, Drew? He’s becoming quite the funnyman too, and Stephanie laughs again. “There’s a showman deep down inside that lumberjack. Let me tell you, when he comes home, it’s crazy.

“There’s a side of his family that are serious, very caring, loyal and quiet. And then he has another side of his family that are musicians and entertainers. He’s got a little bit of both. He’s learning to go with it.

“Now that we have grown as a family, and Charlie has grown up in the public eye, he just has embraced it over time,” she said.

O’brien family apples

Sometimes the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and so we ask about growing up and the relationship with her own mother.

“My mom always went out – full out – for everything. There was an Easter tree and she always made sure that the Easter Bunny knew what kind of stuff we liked, and so the Easter Bunny was always very good to us. She will have the place decorated, from the napkins to the dish towels. It’s like visiting a museum every holiday.”

O’Brien doesn’t mind sharing her love for things onair, like her passion for Hawkins cheezies or mint icy squares. She does insist on setting the record straight, however.

“It’s weird that people still send me pictures of where they find (mint icy squares). But here’s the truth. I ate so many of those things, and I got heartburn so bad, that I’m medicated now. I cannot eat mint anymore! I can’t chew gum. Even the thought of brushing my teeth with mint kills me now. Oh, it’s true. It’s actually true!”

“It’s because I didn’t do it in moderation. I’d sit down and literally finish an entire container, so that wasn’t healthy,” she says.

“People have said Charlie is just like me. My mother even said it! ‘What’s it like raising yourself?’ It’s hard. It’s really hard.

“I see now why my husband loves me even though I can drive him at the same time. Sometimes when I do a video, I will look at it and go, ‘Oh my God, that’s Charlie.’ I will actually see my own daughter in my actions and that’s crazy.”

Charlie is now in Kindergarten and is growing up quickly and Stephanie is noticing all those changes and her antics.

“What I find now is she’s starting to want to be a little bit more mature, but she’s still a kid. I don’t know if you heard this on the radio, but the other night she was in the bathroom washing her hands and I could smell the strong smell of soap, a cheery soap, and it was too much for just washing your hands. I knew she’s into something so I called out to her.

“’What are you doing?’”

“Nothing,” her daughter replied.

“You were washing your hands, I can smell a lot of soap.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Charlie replies.

“I said, ‘I think you do.’”

And five-year old Charlie says, “Girl, I think you have a symptom. I think you’ve lost your mind” and she walked away. “I have a symptom?!” Stephanie can barely believe her ears. “Come on!, she exclaims, “’Girl?!’

“Now you tell me that’s not repeating something I’d say. She’s a chip off the old block, for sure.”

Later on in conversation with Drew, she ponders Charlie’s future.

Jail or president?

“‘Drew,’” I said. ‘“I think we just have to survive raising her and then she’ll take over the world. We just have to get through this bit because I honestly think that she’s either going to end up in jail or be president. I don’t know which, but it’s going to be extreme either way.’”

As for Randy Snow, or Uncle Randy? She admits that there’s real admiration and affection for one another and for each other’s family.

“I can’t believe it’s almost been three years. I think there’s definitely been a lot of growth, but it also was very natural and organic from the beginning.”

Even on the radio, she and Randy chat about their on-air and off-air relationship.

“I actually noticed the other morning how we just get each other now. We just go with whatever is said and we always find a way to find humour even in the worst scenarios.

“I’m just so happy that I work with Randy and that we have the chemistry we do because that is something you can’t fake. We’re just very lucky.”

Stephanie and Drew’s home with Charlie when the cameras and microphones are off, she reveals, is pretty much what you see – and hear – is what you get.

“We’re going around in our hoodies and comfy clothes. Charlie’s dancing or has her headphones on, and Drew’s literally doing the dishes and rolling his eyes.

“And Oz and Percy (the family’s fluffy cats) are somewhere looking cute and adorable. That’s the dynamic all the time.”

I ran into my sister at the grocery store the other day and we compared a few grocery cart items. One thing that became clear was our differences when it comes to snacking. 

In my cart there were nuts, dried fruit, and yes, a family-sized bag of chocolate covered almonds. In hers? Enough salted snacks to coat all outport roads in winter from November to April in a bad year. She was also sluggin’ two jumbo sized, very not fun looking jugs of some sort of pink floor scrubbin’ substance along with enough Javex to sanitize ten fish trawlers. The only cleaning product ready to be purchased in my cart was for dish washing, and that’s because it was for under two bucks on sale and I figured with the cost of everything these days there was nar bit harm in picking up a spare bottle. “Fine set of jugs,” I said to my sister as she slugged the sanitizing ammo out of her cart to check out.

‘Spring cleaning, maid’

“What are you planning on doing with those big things?” I asked. She gave me a look. “Spring cleaning, maid,” she said with a twinkly gleam in her eye. That made us both laugh. “A maid would have to come with this purchase to excite me,” I teased. Truth is, I still don’t have my house ready for last Christmas let alone being ready to welcome spring into my home. While she welcomed the spring-ahead time-change with the refreshing scent of bleach and forest pine needles, I’m more the open the window and let the stink blow off us all kind. 

In spite of my disdain for dutifully  disinfecting the works and walls and all of that, I do love this time of year. The evenings are longer, the air smells of hope for better weather and kids are a heck of a lot easier to love when they spend more time outdoors than in. 

Plus, what’s not to love about Easter?  For a chocolate lover like myself, it’s a bonanza in the form of an Easter bunny’s edible ears. Kids get all excited for the Easter Bunny and the goodies and treats he’ll bring. Clothing colours are bright, smiles delight as the frigid temps become but a memory and there’s a skip in everyone’s step as they step out to face the day with the promise of May two-four just around the corner.

Paradise in the sky

Plus, life has pretty much returned to a pre-COVID normal, and what’s not to love about that?  My nephew was out for a drive with my sister not long after our grocery store excursion and had me on speaker as we spoke. As always, his little rabbit ears were tuned in to make sure he missed none of the conversation. “Where are you now?” I asked, planning to connect once our running around for the day was done.

“In Paradise,” my sister answered, to which my four-year-old nephew – often babysat by his 70-plus year-old church-going grandparents – replied, “Hey guys. Nanny says Paradise is up in the sky…” That may be, kid, but this time of year, it’s pretty heavenly right here on earth too. Longer evenings, warmer temps (eventually), opened windows to let the dust bunnies fly, and access to all the chocolate bunny ears one’s heart desires.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com