Arkansas Sports Announcer Killed in Car Crash

Monday night, the state of Arkansas lost one of its finest ambassadors, sports announcer Paul Eels.

Mr. Eels' car crossed a median and hit an oncoming car head on. His death was instant.

Paul is being remembered as the voice of the Arkansas Razorbacks for the past umpteen years, a kind soul and a genuine human being.

I caught myself pausing to wonder what it must be like for his survivors to be struggling with their grief - that sort of overwhelming pain associated with an unexpected death. Paul Eels was not ill. He did not retire, he did not linger on a death bed for weeks or months. He simply didn't make it home for dinner Monday night.

On top of that, add an outpouring from complete strangers - strangers who all felt a personal relationship with the man they called husband and father. I hope it's reassuring.

I'll miss hearing his voice. Sometimes it made me a little less homesick to hear him call a game. But, I can't help but think most of have just lost a sports announcer. The family has lost so much more.

I hope they can wrap their minds around the genuine sorrow that is being felt by fans statewide, and by transplanted Arkansans all over the country and the world.

The family has requested memorials be made to the Paul Eells Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 10689, Conway, AR 72034.