Stories About Us!

Written 2-14-2015

Shane Thomas was five years old when I took him to his first wrestling tournament. The oldest of our four sons, he had very little wrestling experience at the time. But who does at five years of age? After we arrived at the tournament location, I checked Shane T. in, he weighed in and I looked at the tournament bracket to find out who he would wrestle first. As I placed my finger on his name on the bout sheet a man standing beside me asked; “Is that your son?”
“Yes, this his first tournament.” I replied.
“Good luck!” That kid he’s going to wrestle is six years old and the defending state champ.”
“State Champ at six years old? I’m throwing him to the wolves!” I thought to myself…

It wasn’t long before Shane and his opponent were called to the mat to wrestle. “Just go out and give it your best.” I told Shane.
The whistle blew to start the action, and in an instant, the other wrestler had thrown Shane on his back and was attempting to pin him.
“Bridge!” I screamed.
Shane fought through the entire first period without getting pinned. At the end of the period the referee assisted my crying son to his feet and directed over to the edge of the mat to talk with his coach. Shane approached rubbing his eyes with both fists as tears rolled down his five-year-old cheeks. “I don’t want to go back out there.” He cried.
“Who are you?” I asked.
Shane looked at me with a perplexed look. “Who are you?” I asked again.
This time a slight smile formed on his tear ridden face. “I’m a Nerenberg!”
“Thats right!” I replied “And Nerenberg’s never…”
Without hesitation Shane T. finished the sentence: “Nerenberg’s Never Quit!”
“You got that right. Now go out there and don’t give up!” I exhorted.
Shane T. marched back onto the mat. The whistle blew to re-start the wrestling. Immediately, Shane T. was thrown to his back by his opponent. This time however, Shane T. fought back and turned to his belly. Again, the other wrestler turned him to his back. Again, Shane T. fought back and turned to his belly. This scenario repeated itself until the match was stopped and Shane’s opponent was declared the victor by technical fall. After the referee raised the other boys hand, my son sprinted off the mat into the arms of his father. “Who are you?” I asked.
“I’m a Nerenberg!” Came the reply.
“That’s right!” I said, “And I’ve never been more proud of you. You didn’t quit!”

Thirteen years later I listened to my son’s voice on the other end of a long-distance call. The stakes were much higher in Shane Thomas’ life. He was serving on the front lines of the Iraqi war as an American Soldier. “How’s it going?” I asked.
“Not good. It was a rough day.” Shane replied.
I didn’t have to ask what happened. I knew by the sound of his voice. My son was forced to make decisions that day that every soldier has to make while in combat. Decisions that I can’t begin to comprehend the weight and magnitude of.
“Who are you?” I asked.
I’m a Nerenberg.” Came the reply.
“That’s right” I said. “I raised you to be a man and a man is what you have become.”
Silence on the other end of the line.
“What are you doing over there?” I asked.
“I’m doing my job. What I was trained to do.” Was the response.
“Your Damn right you’re doing your job. There is a time for every season under the sun. For our country and for you, this is a season of war. Do your job! Do whatever you have to do to come home and do not give in to guilt. Do it! What happens at war doesn’t define who you are as a person or a man. Your heart does that. Do you understand?”
“Yes Sir.”
With that, I was able to speak a few of the truest words I’ve ever spoken: “I’ve never been more proud of you!”

WHO ARE YOU?