The Mustang

Issue date: 9/8/05 Section: Campus Life

Media Credit: Torey Reese Nick Arnold´s parents pose with the football team and coaches during last week´s visit to Silver City. The Arnold´s hadn´t been in New Mexico since dropping off their son just over a year ago.

It was bittersweet for the Arnold family. The visit was one that reminded them so much of their late son Nick Arnold but it also made them feel right at home. The parent's of late WNMU student and football player Nick Arnold visited the WNMU campus and attended the football game that saw Nick's old team garner a second consecutive win of the season. Both Candie and Ray Arnold made the trip down from Sunnyvale, California to Silver City this past weekend. In honor of their visit and Nick, who was fatally shot earlier this year during a weekend trip to Tucson, the Housing Department presented them with a plaque honoring Nick. A similar plaque was placed in Eckles Hall were Nick was housed during his time at Western. A memorial is also set up in the football locker room.

"We feel great that they are here, they are part of our family," commented football coach Shanelle Jones. Candie Arnold mimicked those feelings adding, "this is like coming to family, everyone made us feel welcome. He was where he was supposed to be."

Emotions ran high the weekend of their visit. The football team and its veteran players can still remember Nick and his presence. Running back Kasey Young said that its "hard to put into words" when describing the parents' visit. "I think it's awesome that they came down to celebrate his life," said Fernando Santillanos. "Everybody's happy, he was a good guy. His parents are very nice people, just shows were he got it from."

A cookout was held the day after the Mustang victory. Wal-Mart of Silver City donated all the food for the event. Candie Arnold also presented a monetary donation to be given to the foundation for a scholarship with the money she planned to use to pay for the cookout's food.

A final memento was given to Nick's parents when all the players signed a football given to them in his honor.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools