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John Mark Stallings Passes Away

According to published reports by the Tuscaloosa News, John Mark Stallings has passed away. 

I'm sure most of you remember John Mark very well. As the son of Gene Stallings, he was always a high profile person during his father's tenure at Alabama, and you simply won't find a bigger Alabama fan than he was. In particular I remember, as I'm sure many of you do too, him cheering his heart our for the Tide up in one of the skyboxes with his mother Ruth Ann in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. To say he was loved by all would be an understatement.

No cause of death was listed, but he had lived his life battling Down Syndrome, and in recent years his health was very fragile as a result of a congenital heart defect. He was 46.

Genejohnmarkstallingstv1_medium

Roll Tide, John Mark.

 

UPDATE

Click here for a great photo gallery of John Mark courtesy of RollTide.com.

0 recs | Comment 21 comments

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OTS

thanks for putting that pic up. That is my favorite photo of Coach and John Mark. RTR

" Hurry up and wait!"

by SDBama78 on Aug 2, 2008 2:42 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I love that picture too...

"I hate everything orange"
It's all about Crimson - ROLL TIDE!!!

by bamavicki on Aug 2, 2008 2:55 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

John Mark

Luckily enough I was in attendance for one of the most memorible moments a ‘Bama fan could ever ask for. The 1993 Sugar Bowl.
When the game was over we ran into John Mark, Mrs. Stallings and a few others in the Superdome lobby as they came off of the ramp from their level. I went over to him and gave him a high-five & a “Roll Tide”. He returned the “Roll Tide” back and Mrs. Stallings just smiled. RTR.

by Roll on on Aug 2, 2008 5:09 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Wow! brings back memories

I worked for Coach Stallings, managing his charity golf tournaments. He was a class act as well and his entire family, his wife, daughters and John Mark were the real deal. I can’t imagine what their lives will be like without their son, but I know they are so thankful for the time they had with him. If you ever got the chance to meet John Mark, share in his joy, have him shake your hand (which he always did, because he was taught to be a gentlemen) you were blessed indeed. Thanks Coach and Ruth Ann!!

by queen on Aug 2, 2008 6:09 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

John Mark

Dearest Bebes and Ruthie,
I am so sorry for you painful loss. The last time I saw Johnnie was in Waco a couple of years back and he was as precious as ever with his sweet, sweet spirit. Please know that my love and prayers are with you.

Jack Pierce

by Jack Pierce on Aug 2, 2008 6:42 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Athletic Building

There was a video out for a while, but I couldn’t find it, of the ceremony where they dedicated the Athletics Building to John Mark. He gave a speech that whent like this:

“Thanks for coming to my party… God bless you”

I wish the healthiest among us could say so much in just two sentences. John Mark lived a lesson for everyone that you can be happy under any circustances. That lesson was not missed. He was a beloved son of Gene and Ruth Ann Stallings and a beloved son of the Crimson Tide. God speed John Mark and thank you.

BTW, OTS, that picture you posted is truly proof that a picture can say a thousand words.

by LifelongBammer on Aug 2, 2008 8:19 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

He blessed us all!

John Mark blessed us all. His presence on earth taught us that Life is precious and valuable, regardless of its “quality.” And John Mark’s joy and spirit taught most of us to re-examine how we define “quality of Life.” How many of us would wish to live a life as full of happiness and innocent pleasure as he did. Coach Stalling”s book “Another Season” is a must read for any Bama fan, sports fan, and all fans of the human spirit. Our prayers go forth for the Stallings family. But I know that because of their Christian faith, they are rejoicing that John Mark is now saying “Roll Tide!” in a houndstooth Heaven. Thank you Coach and Ruth Ann, for giving the world such a beautiful gift in son! ROLL TIDE!

CRIMSONCOLOREDGLASSES

Tide Tradition will always trump Tiger trash!
(I mean, they desecrate their own property with toilet paper for gosh sakes!)

by CrimsonColoredGlasses on Aug 2, 2008 11:25 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Terribly sad news in the advent of this year’s season. I also appreciate the picture, OTS. In many ways it sums up my own feelings about the program and the university more than any other.

by kleph on Aug 3, 2008 6:08 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Condolences

He was a special guy.

Go Vols!

by Joel on Aug 3, 2008 6:35 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Wow.

A sad day indeed. I wish we could all enjoy what God has given us as much as he did. Great kid, and I am thankful he was born into a family that cared so much for him the way Coach and Mrs. Stallings did. My prayers are with them as I know they dedicated their life to him. God bless.

Roll Tide, Bitches!!!

by BamaReturns07 on Aug 3, 2008 7:34 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

A sad day, but a wonderful life

John Mark lived his life to the fullest. He’s an example to all of us.

Condolences from BulldogNation.

by TomReagan on Aug 3, 2008 10:40 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Just stopping in to pay my respects.

Big ND fan here but I also have a son with Down syndrome and have had the chance to meet John Mark and Coach Stallings.

I have created a little tribute on my blog I hope you enjoy.

http://bigdawgtales.blogspot.com/

From an ND fan with the utmost respect in mind.

“Roll Tide”!

Peace

by BigDawg on Aug 3, 2008 12:02 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

what a beautiful

tribute you wrote for John Mark!!

Roll Tide Roll!!!

by imaBamafan on Aug 3, 2008 1:15 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

BigDawg...

I have to 2nd that! That was beautiful! Roll Tide! and Go Irish!

" Hurry up and wait!"

by SDBama78 on Aug 3, 2008 2:02 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Thanks...

...for posting that over here. I appreciate it. My little brother has autism and has thankfully been embraced by the community we live in, so it always made me happy to see John Mark embraced by the UA community. Not everyone is so lucky. Thanks again.

by Nico2.0 on Aug 3, 2008 2:21 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

BigDawg...

As others have said, thank you for writing that moving celebration of a life well lived. John Mark left a lasting impression on all Alabama fans and on so many more as well. I’m still crying as I write this. I thought as I read it “someone needs to send this to Coach Stallings”. By the end, I saw that you are going to. He will appreciate it very much.

I also want to say that your blog and involvement with DADS is a wonderful thing.

"I hate everything orange"
It's all about Crimson - ROLL TIDE!!!

by bamavicki on Aug 3, 2008 5:09 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

john mark

my thoughts and prayers go out to the stallings family….John Mark will be missed there was no doubt that he was the #1 Alabama fan.

by BamaBandit12 on Aug 3, 2008 1:30 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Pardon me

I meant the equipment room earlier. This happens every time I try to multitask

by LifelongBammer on Aug 3, 2008 5:45 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

From a Vol fan

Heartfelt sympathies go out to all Tide fans on John Mark’s passing. What a wonderful person he was and what a blessing he was to those who came into contact with him. It makes me happy to know that he is in Heaven with the Bear plotting how to beat the Big Orange this year.

by vols30 on Aug 5, 2008 4:19 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

An idea...

This is Reynolds Wood aka Ras Judah aka from Jackson, Mississippi. Recently I came up with a great idea for a way to truly honor John Mark Stallings. So I want to share this idea so that someone who reads this might know how to help bring it to fruition. Here is my idea: I think that a statue of John Mark should be constructed beside the statue of Coach Stallings outside of Bryant Denny Stadium. Perhaps the existing Gene Stallings statue could be changed into a statue of Coach and John Mark holding hands, as in the above photo. I really believe that the Alabama Family would be bery supportive of this idea, and I think Coach and Ruth Ann would be pleased by it as well. Since I live in Mississippi, I don’t know who to contact in official capacities at the University. But perhaps those of you who live in Alabama could call in on the sports talk radio shows (e.g. Finebaum, Jay Barker, etc) and really promote this idea. I think this would be a fitting tribute. What do you think?
Also, I greatly appreciate the above expressions of sympathy and condolence from fans of other teams such as Notre Dame, Tenn, and the Bulldogs (UGA or MSU?). We are all so passionate about our own teams, but the things that really draw us to a love of college football are the human interest stories behind the helmets and underneath the pads. Every school has its share of fans that give it a bad name, but each school also has its share of fans that exhibit class and sportsmanship. So thanks for the true demonstration of class. As Alabama fans, we are glad to share John Mark’s light with rest of the college football community. And I imagine that even if you wore blue or orange, he would say “Roll Tide!” and then give you a great big hug.
God Bless,
Reynolds Wood aka Ras Judah
RastaLife@netscape.com

CRIMSONCOLOREDGLASSES

Tide Tradition will always trump Tiger trash!
(I mean, they desecrate their own property with toilet paper for gosh sakes!)

by CrimsonColoredGlasses on Aug 6, 2008 3:22 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

To Coach Stallings and Family

My deepest sympathy and prayers are with each of you. John Mark was such a precious angel and truly one of the biggest Bama fans there ever was. He was such an inspiration in so many ways. I will always cherish the memories of John Mark. The book “Another Season” was such a wonderful way to honor John Mark. When I read that he had passed away, I cried as thousands of others did and looked at all the pictures of him in the book.

God now has such a precious angel in heaven with him. I sincerely pray that God will give the Stallings family and their friends the strength and comfort each of you need and that He will comfort you in only the way that God can.

God Bless You and thanks for the memories John Mark. You will be deeply missed and always remembered.

by Bama4me2 on Aug 6, 2008 4:04 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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