Ander Will

The accolades don’t make you great, it’s the soul of a human that truly tells the story. I hosted Aldon Smith at the Zou. I could tell then that he wanted to be apart of something with true meaning. He yearned for acceptance, to be apart of a family, and was one of the most relentless dawgs I’ve ever been blessed to play with. Truly the best! He was a hooper at heart, we use to run the Rec! Ask about us ! He didn’t even know what a football player was, he emulated the behavior of all of the dawgs he was around. Whether that was good or bad is a complex conversation. A bit of an oxymoron. I know I didn’t always do what I should’ve, I still fall short. That’s just the way it was written for young men thrust into a role that even a grown man would have trouble handling. Aldon was a gifted artist with talent beyond the gridiron, a heart of gold, and a smile made to be in front of the camera. Football is so small in the grand scheme of life, it’s a game that we serve with reverence that God only deserves. Still, it is a vessel of hope for many young kids from the ghetto in America. The tale of Aldon Smith is not one of tragedy, it is one of perseverance. When I last saw him we had the best time, it was like I was 20 and he was 18. He wasn’t a shell of himself, he was Aldon. He actually left the 24’ MU Auburn Homecoming game early bc he believed we had a better chance of winning if he wasn’t there. He never gave himself enough credit. I wish he would’ve stayed! Mizzou loves him dearly, so do I and all of our brothers! Win, lose, or draw, it is always about the people and the relationships you build through the connection of this game. We also laughed about my Girbaud jeans that he never returned from his visit, and the when I made him take off my icy-white, Pell Grant-bought Air Force 1s before we headed out on the town in Columbia. If you had just grabbed the everyday pair, we both would have had the classics on that night! 😂 If you were blessed to be around Aldon, watch him play, or just meet him, you were truly blessed. Now 85 can get his rest. I love you, little bro! The Great Aldini @AldonSmith I am forever proud of you! #madeMizzou