Remembering Lake Kelly

Special to thefly35.com

Thursday, March 5, 2009

 

When his phone rang Thursday morning, Fly had no idea the stunning news that he would soon hear.

On the phone was Howard Jackson, his longtime friend and basketball teammate at Austin-Peay in the early 1970s.

Jackson had terrible news: their former coach, Lake Kelly, died during the night.

“I don’t know what to do, cry or what,” Fly said about an hour after getting Jackson’s call. “I’m just sitting at home in a daze.”

By the afternoon, Fly was still trying to come to grips with the news of Kelly’s death.

They had been reunited a month earlier when Austin Peay retired Fly’s No. 35 jersey in Clarksville, Tenn. Lake and his wife, Marti, spent several days visiting with Fly and former teammates. It was a wonderful, joyous time.

When Fly got ready to leave for New York City, he collapsed at the Nashville airport and was taken to The Summit Hospital in Hermitage. Lake and Marti Kelly, who were staying with their daughter, son and grandchildren in Franklin, spent much of the next four days with Fly in his hospital room as he recovered from fatigue and what was diagnosed as a virus.

“When I was laying in the hospital bed, it gave us time to talk,” Fly said. “It was like a father-son thing. This is unbelievable. He meant the world to me.”

It was about a month ago, Feb. 12, 2009, when Lake and Marti Kelly last saw Fly at the hospital. Fly left that night and flew back to New York City.

“I guess God put us together again because He knew Coach Kelly wouldn’t be with us much longer,” Fly said. “God put us together again after 35 years.”

Their time together in Clarksville in the early 1970s will live forever, as will their time together in early February of 2009.

“Coach Kelly was a big part of my life,” Fly said. “I came to Clarksville to play for Austin Peay, and he took me in like a parent. Look what happened to me (after) the retirement. He and Mrs. Kelly were there like they were my parents.”

Getting Better

It’s been two weeks since Fly left The Summit Hospital in Hermitage, near Nashville, and he’s feeling pretty good these days in Brooklyn. Except for a couple of things.

“I’m getting all kinds of tests now,” Fly said Thursday, Feb. 26. “My fiancée has got me like a Guinea pig.”

Fly says he’s getting stronger every day and looks forward to getting back to work at The Brownsville Rec Centerin Brooklyn.

His four-day stay at The Summit, where he was vaguely diagnosed as having a virus, was made more comfortable by the nurses and staff.

“They were so sweet, so nice and caring,” Fly said. “It was unbelievable. I didn’t mind staying in a place like that. The nurses were so nice. They’re rude up here. I told my fiancée, that’s the sweetest place I’ve been in my life. They really took care of me around the clock. If I get sick, I wish they could fly me down there. That’s what you need when you’re sick, and they did it so well.”

Whatever bug he picked up was just a bump in the road for Fly.

“I told my fiancée: I’m a Dinosaur, I ain’t goin’ anywhere,” Fly said.

Back home

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Fly is back at home, feeling good, and ready to start working again with the many kids in his basketball program at Brownsville Recreation Center.

It is two weeks after Fly’s No. 35 jersey was retired Feb. 5 by Austin Peay State University during a game against Tennessee-Martin. Fly was in Clarksville for all the ceremonies and, former teammates, friends, fans, and media gave him an overwhelming response.

“It was unimaginable, unbelievable,” Fly says. “There was still so much love in that town. I will never forget it, never in my life.”

For Fly, it was a hectic five days, starting Feb. 4 when he arrived at Nashville International until Feb. 8 when he was scheduled to depart to LaGuardia International in New York.

As was reported, Fly was hospitalized at The Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, a suburb of Nashville, about the time his Feb. 8 flight was taking off toward New York.

Fly spent the next four days at The Summit, resting and recovering, and during that time became a hidden celebrity in the hospital. Word quickly spread that the Fly was in the house. After a few days, Fly was ready to go home, so away he went, catching a flight Thursday night, Feb. 12.

Fly says he is feeling better every day and making all his scheduled visits to see his personal doctor. There is much on his schedule in the future – including a return trip to Clarksville.

“I can’t wait to get back,” Fly said. “It was unbelievable.”

Update From Fly

By Dave Link

For TheFly35.com

NASHVILLE -- Fly is sleeping comfortably and peacefully, and even has a slight smile on his face. He may be having dreams of this past wonderful weekend, starting Thursday night when his jersey was retired by Austin Peay and continuing with festivities through Sunday.

It is Monday night, 9 p.m. CT, Feb. 9, 2009, and Fly is in a Nashville hospital. He will be here until he is completely recovered and ready to go back to Brooklyn, whether it's in two days or whatever. He is in the best of care.

Fly had a weekend he will always remember.

"Incredible," Fly said Sunday on our way to the Nashville airport. "Absolutely incredible. I've never seen anything like it. Unreal."

Fly felt the love this past weekend that first drew him to Austin Peay and Clarksville in 1972. He says he will always love Clarksville and hopes to return every year.

He will be back.

Count on it.

Keep Fly in your thoughts and prayers, as he does for so many others.

Thanksgiving Memories

To all from Fly Williams: Happy Thanksgiving, 2008.
Fly spent much of Thursday afternoon visiting friends in Brooklyn for Thanksgiving, but he didn't forget to say hello to his old friends and fans down in the South.
"Tell everybody down there Happy Thanksgiving," Fly said. "Tell everybody I'm looking forward to seeing them."
Fly will be in Clarksville in early February for games against UT-Martin and Murray State. His jersey will be retired by Austin Peay the day of the UT-Martin game.
What is Fly's most memorable Thanksgiving from his days at Austin Peay?
"I went turkey hunting," Fly said. "I didn't hit nothin' but a tree. I'd shot little zip guns before, but never a big ol' shotgun like that. It was like, 'Kaboom! Kaboom!' "Fly recalls going turkey hunting with a man named Sammy Thomas

Kobe Bryant and Raymond Lewis

Fly was having a conversation a couple of days ago on the phone with Joe Bryant, father of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant.
Their conversation went something like this:
"I know of two guys who could get off whenever and wherever they wanted to," Joe Bryant said.
"Who's that?" Fly said.
"You and my son Kobe," Joe Bryant said.
"Thank you, sir," Fly said.

Fly was asked again about playing against Raymond Lewis in Los Angeles.
"He was a terrific ballhandler and he had a good shot," Fly said. "I can't compare him to me. He was a decent player. If he had the right opportunity, he might have had a shot. Back then, it was just if you had the opportune time to get a shot."

Hall of Fame

It was a big Friday night in Brooklyn for Fly Williams and friends.
Fly was among four players inducted in the Brooklyn Athletic Association USA Hall of Fame. Also inducted were former NBA players Mel Davis, Greg "Jocko" Jackson and Kenny Hall.
Jackson and Fly have been close friends for many years.
"My phone's been ringing off the hook today," Fly said. "Everybody's gonna be there tonight."
Earlier in the day, Fly was among the many people working at the Brownsville Recreation Center to get a haunted house ready for Halloween night.
"It's awesome," Fly said. "We've got kids comin' from all around."
Fly is also amid his tournament/clinics for 14 to 16-year olds at the rec center.
"There's more than 3,000 kids in the program," Fly said. "I don't like to turn any kids away. I might have to start going on Sunday (with the tournament). I've got kids coming from every borough in Brooklyn. I've got one white kid coming from Troy, New York, and that's probably three hours away."