ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: FOOTBALL
Peach County's Antonio Henton
'You look like your dad, but you got my smile'
Published on: 06/18/06
Dear Tonio,
At first I was scared of football. I had you playing recreation basketball and softball. I thought you might get hurt.
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BEN GRAY / Staff
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Debra Henton says she spends a lot of nights watching videotapes of her son,
Antonio, playing football games in the neighborhood or for his Peach County High team. 'Now I'll watch you playing for Ohio State,' she said.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--startclickprintinclude--><!--begintext-->But I watched you play every Sunday with the neighborhood kids in the field by our apartment. Even when you were 6 or 7 years old, it took three little kids to bring you down. The neighborhood games were video-taped, and I still watch those videos all the time at night. I watch you playing with the kids. I watch your high school highlight tapes. I watch you playing in the Georgia Dome. Now I'll watch you playing for Ohio State.
You grew up so fast. Just yesterday you were a baby; now you're a grown man. I always told you to remember where you came from and never forget the people who looked out for you. I know you listened when I see you shaking the hands of the neighborhood kids and asking them how they're doing.
I'm so proud of your faith, how you have learned to put God first. It brought tears to my eyes when I read a newspaper article where you said if you believed in God, you could overcome anything. That was the first time I've ever heard you express your faith.
You've always been quiet and kept to yourself, so I never worried about you growing up. But I worried when you had ankle surgery. I worried when you tried walking the next day without crutches, and then I found you on the bike four days after surgery. You were so determined. You told me you'd never heal if you didn't work hard. And now you're going into sports medicine at Ohio State.
I'll visit when I can, but I'll miss more than the one game I missed in your four years of playing high school football. I always sat in the same spot behind the Peach County bench, and I'd shout your name. You acted like you didn't hear me, so I'd have your little brother, Alex, yell your name before games, and you always gave him a high-five. He looks up to you so much; the whole family is crazy about you.
Now you're moving far away. I told you I hated that you were going so far, but I want you to go where you feel the most comfortable and happiest. We got the paperwork from Ohio State, and you're leaving early in June and so quickly after graduation. I realized then that you won't get to come home again until Thanksgiving or Christmas. We'll miss you so much.
I'll miss your smile. I've never seen you mad or sad. You look like your dad, but you got my smile. You're just the perfect son. I'm going to miss you.
— I love you, Mom
PEACH COUNTY'S HENTON BY THE NUMBERS
30 — Touchdown passes his senior season, with seven interceptions. He passed for 2,200 yards.
671 — Miles from Peach County to Ohio State University, where he earned a football scholarship
3 — Losses for the Trojans to start the season while Henton was injured. They did not lose after he returned.
j/k (sorry, I just had to say it before someone else did...sorry Vince 
)
