Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim made his return to the court just days after hestruck and killed a man while driving his caralong a central New York highway on February 20.
“I felt the responsibility and obligation to my players, the members of my basketball team,” the 74-year-old coach said, according to ESPN. “[The players] understand I did this feeling fully the weight of the tragic accident and its impact on the Jimenez family. This is something that will be with me, for the rest of my life.”
Boeheim called the university “supportive” in the days since the accident.
“It’s an unimaginable situation,” he continued. “I can’t describe the feelings I’ve had since Wednesday night. I don’t think I can make anyone understand who hasn’t been there. This is something that’s there forever for me.”
According toWSYR, just minutes before his death on Wednesday night, the car Jimenez was in crashed into a guard rail due to bad weather. Jimenez and the vehicle’s other occupants stepped out and walked down the highway when Boeheim noticed their vehicle in the middle of the road and swerved his car to avoid hitting it. Tragically, he ended up striking Jimenez.
The Syracuse Police Department told WSYR that Boeheim was not given any citations, did not test positive for drugs or alcohol and was driving at the proper speed at the time of the collision.
Boeheim directly addressed Jimenez’s family during his statement.
“First and foremost, to the Jimenez family, I want them to know how truly devastated I am for my involvement in the loss of their loved one, Jorge Jimenez,” he said following the game, ESPN reported.
“The grief and pain his family is feeling at this time is, simply put, unimaginable,” Boeheim continued, according to the outlet. “[My wife], my family and I are heartbroken. I love this community, and to see so many of my fellow community members rally around the Jimenez family is a reminder of how special central New York is.”
Jim Boeheim.
While an investigation into both the initial crash and the one Boeheim was involved in is still ongoing, Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick believes the coach will not face charges, hesaid last week.
While Boeheim is continuing on with coaching duties, he admitted that the weight of the accident will not go away anytime soon.
“Tuesday, it’s not going to be any better. It’s not going to be any better next week,” he said, according to the team’sTwitter account. “It’s not going to be any better next month. It’s not going to be any better next year.”
source: people.com
