The Georgia Bulldogs are gearing up
for 2026’s kickoff.
But
let’s roll back the clock 20 years to a game in Athens.
With
a name like Ralphie, you’d think the University of Colorado’s mascot would be a
boy. But it’s not. The burly bison should have pink bows on its curled horns.
On
Sept. 23, 2006, when Ralphie romped through the gap in Sanford Stadium’s fabled
hedges, UGA’s English bulldog mascot didn’t know what to think. Apparently, the
Dawgs didn’t know, either. Georgia salvaged a 14-13 win in the last 46 seconds.
But
there’s another victory that didn’t flash on the endzone’s Jumbotron.
It
started with a three-minute conversation during the game, a chat that evolved
into a historic win for our family.
While
Ralphie was chewing her cud and Uga was lounging in his air-conditioned
doghouse, the two-legged Buffaloes were scaring the two-legged Dawgs. Trying to
take my mind off the game, I walked away from the window in the president’s
box. I struck up a conversation with then-president Dr. Michael Adams’ senior
event planner.
Heather
Hammond was and still is an auburn-haired beauty from Fitzgerald. She has a
songbird voice and a sunny smile. We had known each other for several years
through her work with the university.
“Heather,”
I said, “if there is no one special in your life, I know someone whom you might
like to meet.”
Wrinkling
her nose, she asked, “Who?”
“Well,
he’s a young businessman and outdoorsman in South Georgia,” I said. “He’s in
his 30s, and he has never been married. And he’s just about given up on finding
the right young lady to take to dinner or go to the movies.”
Animated
expression is one signature of Heather’s personality. Arching her eyebrows, she
said, “Oh, my, that sounds like my luck.”
I
countered, “But there are so many eligible bachelors in a university town.”
“Yes,
but they’re college boys,” she said. “I’m way past that. Who is he?”
“He’s
our older son, Alan,” I answered. “Like you, he’s a graduate of the University
of Georgia. He is publisher of the Tribune & Georgian in St. Marys.”
Opening her purse, Heather pulled out a business card. “My email address is right here if Alan would like to contact me,” she said. We chit-chatted for a few more minutes before peeking out the window to see what was going on between Ralphie’s cleated Buffaloes and our Dawgs.
I
mailed Heather’s card to Alan. Eventually, he sent an email of introduction to
her. They exchanged emails for a couple of months, before Alan drove north for
six hours.
By
summer, Alan and Heather were standing barefoot on the beach of a barrier
island. On Aug. 11, 2007, they exchanged vows before a tiny congregation of
family and friends.
Another story is how out-of-nowhere
howling winds, salty waterspouts and a pop-up monsoon tried to wreck the
wedding. Instead, it was just a testament to how the couple would endure in
their 20 years of togetherness.
After
defying Mother Nature’s wrecking ball, our family was huddled again the next
year. Three days before Thanksgiving, we were in the Brunswick hospital to
welcome the birth of William Alan Jr. Two years later in November, William was
joined by his brother, Samuel Fenn NeSmith. Today, William is a senior at
Tallulah Falls School, and Fenn is a sophomore. Both are scholar athletes, with
their dreams focused on UGA, of course.
Imagine
if Ralphie hadn’t trotted between that gap in Sanford Stadium’s iconic hedges.
And try to imagine if Pam and I hadn’t been there to witness it?
I
can’t.
Happy
19th anniversary, Alan and Heather.
dnesmith@cninewspapers.com
