Fund honoring Uekman’s life
Meagan Uekman, sister of late Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Garrett Uekman, and University of Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long sign the official paperwork for the $100,000 scholarship in the memory of Uekman, who died in 2011 due to complications from cardiomyopathy. Also pictured are John Bennett, Uekman’s uncle; parents Michelle and Danny Uekman, and two of Garrett’s close friends, Chase Miller and Clark Morse.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
LITTLE ROCK — The Garrett Uekman Foundation wants to make sure that the memory of Uekman and the disease that took his life will not be forgotten at the University of Arkansas.
Uekman’s sister, Meagan, president of the Garrett Uekman Foundation, announced Monday that the foundation will sponsor a scholarship to honor Garrett and help fight the heart disease that led to his sudden death nearly one year ago.
Uekman, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman tight end from Little Rock Catholic, was found unconscious in his dorm suite on the morning of Nov. 20, 2011, the day after playing in Arkansas’ 44-17 victory over Mississippi State in Little Rock.
He was pronounced dead at Washington County Medical Center at 12:10 p.m.
A coroner’s report attributed Uekman’s death to an enlarged heart, or cardiomyopathy, a progressive condition that causes an irregular heartbeat and restricts the organ’s ability to pump blood.
Meagan Uekman made the announcement before the weekly meeting of the Little Rock Touchdown Club at the Embassy Suites hotel in Little Rock.
“We want to raise money to help fight heart disease and help fund a scholarship,” she said.
Athletes from all sports will be eligible to apply for the scholarship, but football players, notably walk-on tight ends, will receive preference.
Uekman was a scholarship player, but he gravitated toward nonscholarship players during his short time at Arkansas.
“He had a fondness for walk-ons because he knew how hard they had to work and some of his best friends were walk-ons,” said Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long, who was on hand for the announcement Monday.
The foundation has pledged $100,000, which will be raised through events such as a 7-on-7 football tournament, which was held for the first time in July, and donations, which can be made though the foundation’s website, www.gu88.org.
“Last fall, we were all devastated when we lost a son, brother and teammate,” Long said. “Many around the state didn’t know him, but when they got to know him, they saw he was more than a tight end on the football team.
“I still get chills when I think of him because he was living his dream and there were many teammates who looked up to him.”
Michelle Uekman, Garrett’s mother, said, “This is a step toward taking something and turning it into a positive. He was so committed to getting better in everything he did. Coaches would tell stories about how they had to kick him out of study hall because he had good grades and told him to go elsewhere to study.”
Sports, Pages 19 on 10/16/2012