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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > December > 16 > Entry
Chris Henry — NFL’s turn-around story becomes tragic tale
»Update: Police: Bengals’ Henry dies day after dispute
What looked like the greatest turnaround tale in the NFL earlier this season now has become one of the league’s most tragic and maybe senseless stories.
Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry suffered “life-threatening injuries” today after, police say, he got into a “domestic dispute” with his fiance — Loleini Tonga — while visiting her parents’ home in Charlotte, N.C.
Police there report she got into a pick-up truck and started to drive off. Henry — who has been on injured reserve since Nov. 9 with a broken forearm — jumped into the bed of the truck and later, somehow, fell out.
He was found lying in the roadway a half-mile from the house with a serious head injury.
Early this season I stood at Henry’s locker after a game and listened to him talk about how Tonga had helped him change his life around. They lived in a home in the Wyoming section of Greater Cincinnati with their three kids — her three-year-old daughter and his two sons, one who was two and another who is close to a year old now.
Henry seemed relaxed when he talked about his new life. He smiled easily and even showed me a picture of his kids. What a switch from some of our previous conversations. For once he didn’t seem to want to end our interview after one of two questions.
Of course now the questions were different.
In the past, the conversation usually was about problems he had had In 2007, he was suspended eight games for a disciplinary matter.
In April of 2008, he was finally released by the Bengals after his fifth arrest in 28 months. His rap sheet was gaudier than his stat sheet: drug charges, gun charges, DUI, drinking with underage girls in a hotel room.
Against coach Marvin Lewis’ wishes, team owner Mike Brown took Henry back after four months. But lately it seemed as if Henry warranted the team’s gamble on him.
He no longer seemed to be a distraction to the team. Although he was under-used in my book early this season, he didn’t pitch a public snit. Off the field he talked about how his fiance always was there for him and how she was “the love” of his life. He said they were going to get married.
You wanted to believe all this — you pull for a guy trying to turn his life around — but with Chris Henry you were never quite sure.
Now comes this and all you can do is shake your head and say a prayer.
I remember Henry showing me the NFL logo tattooed across the entire back of his hand. He said it now signified his commitment to football and life and everything that’s important.
He said it stood for better days ahead.
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