Raghib “Rocket” Ismail

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When I was five years old, I saw my first football game while attending a Super Bowl party that my mother was invited to, in the apartment building she lived in (after my parents divorced) in East Orange, NJ. There were no other children my age at this party. Suddenly, from where I was standing, through the sea of adults enjoying themselves, I noticed a solitary figure sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room. It was my 15-year-old sister, Cassandra. She was watching with unflinching intensity, a 13-inch black and white TV screen sitting securely atop a milk crate. My plan was to tease her as all younger brothers do, however, the closer I got to her, the more the images on the TV screen “captured my imagination.”

My sister gracefully explained that I was watching a football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since she was rooting for the Cowboys… I immediately became a Steelers fan; and I “knew” that “when I grew up” I would be a professional football player. The fact that I finished my NFL career as a Dallas Cowboy was Gods way of helping me to get the last bit of legal despising out of my heart.  I also became “aware” of Divine forces that helped me to realize my dreams in the face of many natural and supernatural obstacles, that wanted to prevent the same dreams from becoming a reality. Thankfully, the Divine forces prevailed more times than not, and moving to Wilkes Barre was a MAJOR Blessing for our family that was a result of Divine Intervention!

Through The Providence of The Most High God, my 77-year-old grandmother, Laura Bauknight, had the courage and willingness to assist my mother in raising her children in a safe place after the death of my father, Ibrahim Ismail.  For me, moving to Wilkes-Barre, was like arriving in the promised land. I soon “knew” that my brothers and I were in the right place at the right time.

The people and families that made Wilkes Barre the right place and time a reality, to whom I am forever THANKFUL are collectively.

My families and friends; the McLeod’s, the Dwyer’s, the Lewis’, the Stapletons, the Fonzo’s, the Murray’s, the Smith’s, Mr. Paul, The Yale’s, and the Conway’s.

My coaches; Coach White, Coach Namey, Coach Gorham, Coach Hayden, Coach Chukonis, Coach Breese

Coach Boss Cross, Coach McGrane, Coach Boich, along with Dennis & Harold.

My educators;  Mr Frosini, Mr. Goode, Mr. McGinley, Mr. Frosini, Mr. Easton, Mr. Buckley, M. Park, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Hilburt, Mr. Evans, Mr. Kalamba, Mr. Glod, Mr. Prev, Mrs. Druffner, Mr. Spagnuola,  Mr. Tredinnick, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Schwab, Mr. Modrovsky, Mr. Hottenstein, Mrs. Kinsman, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Williams, Mr. Hensley, Mr. Schmoyer, Mr. Loch, Mrs. Elias and Mrs. Latinski and all other life-guides from Mohawk-Land.

The Local Media: Jim Miller, Sid Michaels, Don Zimmerman, Jerry Keller, Paul Sokolosky, Rob Parker, Bob Rushton, Phil Gianficaro, WBRE, the Times Leader, the Citizens Voice, the Sunday Independent, and whoever was responsible for the billboard that campaigned for me to be selected as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

My community families; First Assembly of God, Mt Zion Baptist Church, The YMCA, CYC, and JCC. The many men and women that donated $5 & $10 for Qadry and I, along with Coaches White and McGrane to fly to Sacramento, California to participate in a national track meet. The Wilkes Barre City Council and W-B Area School Board who also played an incredibly significant role in staying the forces of opposition, that meant to steal and destroy the ability for everything that I had dreamed of as a child, to curate my reality. Without this village of families, friends, educators, coaches, tutors, counselors, and summer job providers, the “Rocket” and the “Missile” would have never gotten off the ground.

For this I offer from the deepest depths of my heart…

THANK YOU!!!

Grace and Peace  –  Steadfast Forever