LAKE LANIER -- With a fishing pole and a patch of water Staff Sgt. Calvin Wilson can escape to a new world of relaxation.
Fishing is simple. Quiet. The gentle rock of the boat rejuvenates the mind, body and soul.
On the lake, Wilson is at home.
The M1A1 tank commander was inured by a roadside bomb just more than a year ago outside Ramadi, Iraq. He recovered physically, but has the scar on his left leg to track his time at war. He shared his story and his love of the water Wednesday afternoon with three Falcons players -- part of a team trip to the lake to honor combat wounded veterans.
More than a dozen Falcons players, many avid fisherman, spent more than three hours on a fishing trip.
For Wilson, who initially joined the Army in 1990, the day was particularly special.
"This is awesome," he said. "Coming in from the war zone, the American people are caring. This ranks up there with them. One of my dreams was to go to the NFL. To come out and fish with the guys and see that they're down-to-earth people is great."
Falcons stars including Todd McClure, Tyson Clabo, Todd Weiner, Doug Datish, Kevin Lovell, Tim Anderson, Ben Wilkerson, John Abraham, Michael Boley, Jerious Norwood, Michael Koenen, Corey McIntyre, Brian Finneran, Willie Evans and Chris Redman made the day special, but seemed more concerned with learning about the veterans and catching a few fish than sharing their own tales from the gridiron.
The men scattered across this massive lake in search of striper, a fish known for its cunning and nomadic tendencies. Clabo was the unofficial leader among the players, hauling in a 13-pound silver beauty.
McClure and Redman, both avid anglers, fished for striper for the first time Wednesday. The experience offered a unique chance to converse with the men of the hour -- veterans of war.
"We talked football and they talked about Iraq and what they went through," McClure said. " It's humbling to hear how close to death they were at times. You may watch TV and hear about the war but you don't get to hear the stories up close about what these guys went through. It's very humbling."
"I just appreciate it so much," added Redman. "We have people that support us and are with us no matter what. The guys I got a chance to meet are really supportive throughout everything. It's neat to be somewhat of a role model and do what we can do to help out the community and meet some cool people in the (process)."
Finneran readily accepted an invitation to join the expedition, his father coming home from Vietnam with a Purple Heart.
"I wanted to be a part of this and let them know how important they are to us and how much they mean to us back here in the United States," he said. "It reminds you that we've got it pretty good. When you start to whine about your knee injury or sore back it reminds you real quick about what other people are out there doing."
Falcons community staffers Chris Millman and Colt Berry organized the event. The Dam Store provided bait, tackle and other supplies. Members of the Lanier Striper Club volunteered their boats, time, skills and fuel for the event. Back on shore, players, soilders and Falcons Cheerleaders mingled and enjoyed dinner thanks to Outback Steakhouse.
The group hauled in dozens of fish on the day, but they still discussed the ones at large.
Another relaxing day on the lake will come soon enough. But this day was something special.
"I met my dream today," Wilson said. "To me, it feels like I'm in the NFL for a day."
RELATED LINKS:
- BLOG: More fishing trip coverage in J. Mike's blog
- WIKIPEDIA: Click here for more information on Lake Lanier
