It really is wild how folks can’t even work out in the gym without having to worry about their safety while in the facility. An 80-year-old man working out at a local YMCA in Farmington Hills (outside of Detroit), found himself on the receiving end of an altercation with a 25-year-old, when a former NFL player stepped, potentially saving the man’s life. Former Cleveland Browns and University of Michigan star Braylon Edwards was in the right place at the right time.
“I basically walk into the locker room after working out, I hear some noise about four rows behind me arguing about music, someone playing music too loud,” Edwards said. “So, I’m not paying attention, it’s none of my business. The noise escalates, then you can start to hear some pushing and shoving, I mean you know what fighting sounds like…. But then once I heard a thud, that’s what got me up, that’s what got me to turn around.”
“And then I see the guy for what I was thinking was reaching for a phone underneath the victim grabs the back of the victim’s head by the hair, and he was about to slam it down on the counter,” Edwards said. That’s when the former NFL star stepped in.
The fact this senior citizen was assaulted by a man young enough to be his grandson is despicable enough. But this happening in a place where one thinks they’d be safe is troubling on an entirely different level. Had Edwards (or anyone else for that matter) not walked in when he did, this incident could have ended with much graver consequences. And all this over music apparently.
Folks are so on edge that you can’t even work out in peace. Disagreements happen, that’s part of life, but someone should be able to walk away. Who knows the deal with this 25-year-old or what led to him beating on a man more than three times his age. This man could have potentially been killed or something that couldn’t have been that serious.
Recently, I was working out and a similar situation almost popped off in the middle of the gym floor. A young dude who couldn’t have been older than 25 started arguing across the gym with an older gentleman who looked to be in his 50s. Things got tense as they kept chirping approaching each other until they got to within about five feet of one another and all activity nearby came to a halt. They continued talking, although both ended up backing away, fortunately. Although there was no physicality with this incident it’s ridiculous that it even came that close.
Luckily this 80-year-old man had somebody on his side who just happened to come through while this altercation was unfolding. By the time a person is 25, you’d like them to be able to settle a disagreement with words. Obviously, the world doesn’t work that way but damn. Putting hands on someone that old (or anyone) isn’t necessary, especially over music. Good on Edwards being in the right place at exactly the right time. There’s no telling how much worse that man’s injuries could have been.
