With his wife a few steps behind, Johnson said he made his way into a place he wasn't sure he would, or could, ever return.

The reunion proved to be cathartic.

"As I walked into that stadium, all the feelings I've carried around for 20 some-odd years just exploded out of my body," he said. "I looked at Julie and she was crying. I handed her my camera and walked to a spot in the end zone about six rows up — where the football should have landed — and asked her to take my picture.

"As I stood there, all my feelings of frustration over all the years of sacrifice I put in only to get to this place of such great disappointment suddenly didn't matter anymore. I realized what happened here was part of my life, part of my experience, and after so many years wondering why it had to happen to me, for the first time I let myself know that it's OK. It's OK. And I was able to finally let it go."

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.