Former Teammate, James Strang, Writes Honorary Tribute To Cameron Bean
by James Strang
September 30, 2015
Editor’s Note: The following was originally posted on Facebook by James Strang on September 21, 2015.
Due to a tragic event I am reactivating my Facebook account, and for this reason only, to share this news with friends and the running community about a close friend and former teammate.
Last Friday evening Cameron Bean was out on a normal training run. Like a smart runner, he was running against traffic when a woman drifted across the road and hit him. There is not a clear reason or idea how or why she drifted across the middle of the road. She then drove off and was soon caught in a parking lot nearby.
Sometime after a cyclist was riding by and saw a shoe in the road, drawing his attention to the side where Cameron was lying unconscious. When Cameron got to the hospital, just about everything you can name in a human’s body was broken. The doctors fought hard all weekend to moderate the bleeding in his brain and relieve the pressure. They also put him in a medically induced-coma last night. A few hours ago Cameron passed away.
For those who had the privilege to know Cameron he was….well a STUD! Not only was he athletically gifted but also incredibly smart. Cameron embraced life and lived everyday to the fullest. No matter where he was or what he was doing, Cameron always had a smile on his face. He stood firm in his beliefs and his good character was easily perceived.
I had the privilege to share many runs with Cameron and looked at him as a little brother, always trying to give him pointers when he asked. It’s those long runs out in the middle of nowhere when you really get to know your teammates. Cameron was a strong Christian and always willing to talk about his faith and relationship with the Lord. Today, Cameron went to be in heaven, where I know he’ll be waiting with his running shoes on when we get there.
Cameron had a motto: “Do you want to be good, or do you want to be great?” Not many of us talked openly about mottos or quotes we would run through our heads as we pushed ourselves. This played over into his training. Cameron was a fighter, and a really tough runner. He never backed down from workouts and was always ready to put in the work he needed to get better. Cameron knew what it took to compete at a high level and was an excellent role model to the younger ones coming up in the sport.
We never know God’s timing or why things happen the way they do. These past few days have brought a lot of old teammates back together. I look down at his number in my cell phone knowing I’ll never hear from him again. A reminder to me that life is short, that we never know what’s going to happen or when we will get to tell a loved one you love them one last time. Cameron loved to run; he had a heart and passion to serve others, and will be remembered by all of us.
*Next week would have been Cameron’s 10 year high school reunion. I am not sure of what arrangements the Bean family has made or The Baylor School. More information will be available later this week.