13 Incredible Sports Performances After TRAGEDY

13 Incredible Sports Performances After TRAGEDY

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most notable sports teams and individual athletes who overcame personal tragedies to deliver remarkable performances.

Martin St. Louis [a]

The death of a mother is a profound loss that can leave anyone shattered. Canadian ice hockey player Martin St. Louis experienced this in May 2014 when he lost his mom suddenly to a heart attack. At the time, St. Louis was an undrafted player for the New York Rangers and was scheduled to face the Pittsburgh Penguins just three days later. After speaking with his father, he chose to play, on Mother’s Day no less. With both his father and sister in the stands, St. Louis inspired his team by scoring their first goal, which ignited the crowd to chant his name. Ultimately, the Rangers won 3-1, pushing the series to Game 7 and eventually reaching the Stanley Cup finals.

Torrey Smith [b]

Less than a day before the Baltimore Ravens were set to play against the New England Patriots in September 2012, wide receiver Torrey Smith got some devastating news. His younger brother, Tevin Jones, had died in a motorcycle accident. Smith rushed to be with his family, unsure whether he could still play. However, he became convinced after his mother reminded him that Tevin would’ve wanted him to. But Smith didn’t just play, he delivered an outstanding performance. The second-year pro caught six passes for 127 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading the Ravens to a 31-30 victory. It was a powerful display from a man who, even in his grief, found strength in the unwavering support from his football family.

New Orleans[c] Saints

Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans, Louisiana was immense, touching every corner of the city, including its football team, the New Orleans Saints. The storm severely damaged the Louisiana Superdome, forcing the Saints to play their entire 2005 NFL regular season away from home. By fall 2006, the Saints returned to the Superdome, determined to uplift their city after such devastation. In their first home game, they triumphed over the Atlanta Falcons, with a decisive 23-3 victory, kicking off their most successful season up until that point. This was a stunning turnaround for a team once deemed among the NFL’s worst. Their momentum carried on until the 2009 season, when they made their first ever Super Bowl appearance, and ultimately won.

Miami Marlins

One week before the 2016 baseball season wrapped up, the Miami Marlins lost their star pitcher, José Fernández[d], in a boating accident. The team canceled their game that day, but returned the next day to face the New York Mets, all wearing Fernández’s number 16 jersey. The game began with a touching gesture as Dee Gordon, typically a left-handed batter, took a right-handed stance in Fernández’s honor. He then switched back and hit his first home run of the season, leading his team to a 7-3 victory. Gordon was overcome with emotion and broke into tears. A similar rallying moment occurred with the Los Angeles Angels, who went on to win the 2009 American League West shortly after losing their starting pitcher, Nick Adenhart.

Sachin Tendulkar [e]

India’s 1999 Cricket World Cup campaign started disastrously with a loss to South Africa in their opening game. The team hoped to get back on track in their next match against Zimbabwe, but the night before, star batter Sachin Tendulkar received the devastating news that his father had passed away. Tendulkar returned home for the funeral, missing the Zimbabwe match, which ended in another defeat for India. Just days later, Tendulkar returned to Bristol, in time for the crucial play-off against Kenya. If India lost this game, they would be eliminated. Despite his overwhelming grief, Tendulkar pulled off an impressive play, scoring an emotional century against Kenya to keep India in the tournament. He dedicated the century to his father’s memory.

Ana Fidelia Quirot [f]

One of Cuba’s most renowned athletes, Ana Fidelia Quirot dominated the 800 meters race, winning bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games. The following year, however, Quirot was involved in a domestic accident that nearly ended her career and her life. While she was seven months pregnant, a kerosene stove exploded in her home, inflicting severe burns on over one-third of her body. This accident forced an early delivery, but unfortunately, her baby passed away after one week. Nevertheless, Quirot fought her way through recovery and within months, she was back on the track, clinching a silver medal at the Central America Games in late 1993. By 1995, she had cemented her comeback with a gold medal at the World Championships in Gothenburg.

Glory Alozie[g]

At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Nigerian track and field star Glory Alozie was the favorite to win the women’s high hurdles. Alozie had traveled to Australia with her fiancé, Hyginus Anugo, a relay alternate for the Nigerian men’s team. However, just days before the opening ceremony, while Alozie was in Japan for a final test, Anugo was tragically struck by a car and killed instantly. This loss was tremendous for Alozie. She went days without eating or sleeping, and even considered dropping out of the Olympics. Yet, within days, she managed to regain her form, blazing through her heat rounds and ultimately securing a silver medal in the hurdles. Considering the immense tragedy she had endured, her achievement was nothing short of remarkable.

Pete Sampras [h]

In 1995, Pete Sampras entered the Australian Open as the number one tennis player in the world. In the quarterfinals, he faced fellow American Jim Courier and was favored to win. However, Sampras was struggling emotionally, as his longtime coach and friend, Tim Gullikson, had fallen seriously ill and was rushed back to the U.S. for treatment. Gullikson would later be diagnosed with brain cancer, which he succumbed to in 1996. During his match against Courier, Sampras was visibly affected by his coach’s condition. His emotions erupted when a fan shouted, “Do it for your coach,” which caused him to break down in tears. Although Courier offered to postpone the game, Sampras opted to continue and ultimately defeated him.

New York Mets

By the time the New York Mets faced the Atlanta Braves on September 21st 2001, the city was still reeling from the terrorist attacks just 10 days earlier. This game marked the return of baseball, and sports in general, to New York and became a powerful moment for the grieving city. In the eighth inning, the Mets came up from behind when Mike Piazza[i] delivered a two-run homer, lifting the team to a 3-2 victory. The incredible shot not only won the game, it also offered a brief but profound relief that New Yorkers desperately needed. That same spirit of resilience was present in Boston when the Red Sox secured a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals, just days after the 2013 marathon bombing.

Isaiah Thomas [j]

In April 2017, Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas faced a heart-wrenching challenge just before the NBA playoffs. One day before their game against the Chicago Bulls, Thomas learned that his younger sister, Chyna, had died in a car accident. The loss certainly wasn’t easy. Hours before the game, he was seen in tears as his teammates tried to comfort him. But remarkably, Thomas decided to join them on the court, delivering a stellar performance with 33 points, six assists and five rebounds. And he did that while wearing sneakers marked with messages like “RIP Lil Sis” and “I Love You.” Although the Celtics lost 106-102, Thomas’ ability to play through such immense personal pain won the admiration of fans everywhere.

Brett Favre [k]

While playing in high school, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre was coached by his father, Irvin, who essentially shaped his formative years. Irvin remained an important figure in Favre’s life until December 21st 2003, when he tragically died of a heart attack while driving. The following day, Favre’s team, the Green Bay Packers, was scheduled to play against the Oakland Raiders in a Monday Night Football game. After much consideration, Favre chose to take the field. What followed became one of the most memorable performances of his career. Favre threw for 399 total yards and four touchdowns, leading the Packers to a decisive 41-7 victory. His gameplay was so good, he received a standing ovation from Raiders fans and later won an ESPY Award.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. [l]

The 2001 Pepsi 400 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida was a profoundly significant race for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Just five months earlier, his father, the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in a crash on the same track during the Daytona 500. In fact, the Pepsi 400 was the first race on the Daytona International Speedway since the tragic accident, so at least emotionally, Earnhardt Jr. had a lot to prove. On that hot July day, Earnhardt Jr. pulled through, delivering a remarkable victory in the Pepsi 400 before thousands. The win was symbolic, not just for him personally, but also for NASCAR fans, who saw it as a tribute to the legacy of his father.

Marshall Thundering Herd Football Team

On November 14th 1970, Southern Airways Flight 932 was carrying most of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team from North Carolina to West Virginia. Tragically, the plane crashed shortly before landing, killing everyone on board, including 37 players, eight coaching staff and 25 boosters. Devastated but determined, the team began to rebuild under the guidance of new head coach, Jack Lengyel[m], combining the remaining players with a host of new recruits. After a tough loss in their first away game, the Thundering Herd bounced back in their home opener against Xavier University[n], scoring a last-second touchdown to secure a narrow 15-13 win. It was undoubtedly an emotional victory that helped them honor their fallen teammates.

Did you watch any of these incredible comeback performances live? Let us know in the comments below.

[a]FRENCH name (it's hard to spell this out phonetically since english doesn't really have the same sounds, so listen to the guy in the link he nails it) - marr-TAIN saint loo-EE (for "martin" you kind of stop halfway through the "n"; for "saint" you don't really pronounce the "t") https://youtu.be/b7zu5Nze_NA?si=a6ZY3hOyE9GiF0vR&t=1
[b]TORE-ee smith https://youtu.be/AY0eL5HwSS4?si=wbUHZDnVwVT2Rvh-&t=13
Tevin rhymes with Kevin https://youtu.be/AY0eL5HwSS4?si=Td9V9A-eanEcQcYl&t=10
[c]new ORE-linz *not* new ore-LEENS https://youtu.be/JTw8WGqpiXM?si=IF6MGwxCaLgcaZkC&t=195
[d]hoh-ZAY fur-NAN-dezz https://youtu.be/to0g6WU6ruw?si=cZbYc5Kc7Dnhkc78&t=4
nick AY-DIN-heart / AIDEN-heart https://youtu.be/ROzEPJ8DTPE?si=d7wZTB9zG7Er9Goh&t=56
[e]SATCH-in ten-DOOL-kur https://youtu.be/A98J0-C_IpQ?si=LBNXEL0-IFe4Iyq7
[f]anna fee-DELLY-ah kee-ROTE https://youtu.be/n70E4pFUY1k?si=WDkc747EyGml8mN2&t=239 https://youtu.be/8VxFFwmmP74?si=BaVq5WVHDMbFDYis&t=41
GAW-THIN-burg / GAWTHIN-burg https://www.dictionary.com/browse/Gothenburg
[g]glory ah-LOH-see https://youtu.be/zrL8dVhH04s?si=mGRFkq2JjEJUMC89&t=1
hee-GHEE-nuss ah-NOO-go??? https://translate.google.ca/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=Hyginus%20Anugo&op=translate
[h]pete SAM-priss https://youtu.be/Icdrq62LWSc?si=NLB4a9i5Ix9efUVz&t=6
jim CURRY-ur https://youtu.be/klv8w8T0WTg?si=uufVwH4kSURiiq4J&t=185
tim GULL-ICK-sun / GULLICK-sun https://youtu.be/jbZgIL4Y9t4?si=53Y0eitmdH1TD25R&t=3
[i]pee-YAWT-zuh https://youtu.be/-qvHwNmwoYU?si=fFwDNXKRr-qUaQDw&t=26
[j]eye-ZAY-uh thomas https://youtu.be/45R8Vb0E6X8?si=oMGw-Hmo_BR2Evme&t=4
Chyna = china https://youtu.be/45R8Vb0E6X8?si=saHKmgwlhw2yx5JU&t=12
[k]Favre rhymes with "carve" (for some reason) https://youtu.be/MxfnWLRGka0?si=IVLSx36ezd6R_vnw&t=2
ESPY = ESS-pee https://youtu.be/mdoPgihLigU?si=3dU1crdMXD702EYu&t=2
[l]dale EARN-heart junior https://youtu.be/qQZPBFI5cc4?si=z1K7I2Cs6uSL7ykJ&t=121
[m]LENG-ull https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/5833de41-8f02-4932-9b06-895be33170c8
[n]ZAVE-yur https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/143cfc52-75ee-4f56-b35d-654ecbb93f5c OR https://youtu.be/XKReUjGMHSQ?si=p6m_dknGRHUoKgys&t=12