Reader comments
Dick Harmon: BYU recruit on mend after car crash in California

just thinking II | 6:07 a.m. May 24, 2008

I think that Richard is Josephï¿½s son not brother. Richard was my econ prof at BYU and then he went to work for Ronald Reagan.

Ade | 8:15 a.m. May 24, 2008

Luckily these four young men escaped from the car crash without losing their life. Nothing good ever happens at 3:00 a.m.. Wake up boys, you are getting a second chance.

Anonymous | 8:54 a.m. May 24, 2008

Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. Thank you for sharing your son's story even though I can't imagine how hard this experience has been for him and your family. It bring such peace to see how much Our Heavenly Father loves his children especially in the challenges and trials we face in our journey through life.
The Shirleys

Comments continue below

sob | 9:06 a.m. May 24, 2008

from a full blooded ute

good luck to this young man, hope to read about you on game day in the future

Anonymous | 9:56 a.m. May 24, 2008

As Austin Collie put it - he must have been doing things right off the field.

someone who knows | 10:57 a.m. May 24, 2008

Sorry, but the article is correct -- the elder Richard (former BYU prof) is brother to Joseph. And as a side note, Joseph also has many grandchildren who are avid BYU fans!

Santa Clarita | 11:50 a.m. May 24, 2008

The name of the Valley is the Santa Clarita Valley, not the Santa Clara. Santa Clara is by San Jose. Santa Clarita is by Los Angeles.

RE:Anon 9:56 | 2:24 p.m. May 24, 2008

The Lord asks you to do things right ( not off and on the field) rather tha you do things right.

The Lord blesses those who do.

The problem most people have with understanding that concept is that they see blessing from a Earthly-zero-sum gain perspective, and not from the Lords.

What many see as a blessing (like winning a game, making a catch on 4th and 18, walking away from a car crash, marrying a certain person, getting a certain job), might not be a blessing in the Lord's Eternal Plan.

The thing is, many won't understand what their blessings are until latere in life and in the afterlife.

Austin Collie's quote, while well intended, was not prophecy and probably won't be cannonized as part of any religion, other than that of sports fans.

The quote is tired and worn out. I hope someday posters and fans will understand it's been played out and let it go.

It really has no inherent religous meaning.

cali coug | 5:23 p.m. May 24, 2008

Interesting reporting--there were three kids in the car. The car was traveling at over 100 mph. The "bump" was essentially a ramp on a country road that launched them more than 60 feet. Other than that they were pretty lucky to be alive.

DRD | 6:52 p.m. May 24, 2008

cali coug - we tend to use the word LUCKY when maybe we should use the word BLESSED. Who knows what is in store for the 3 of them. I am sure that all of them won't be playing football at any major university - then again one or all of them may have some great thing in store for them in the ETERNAL PLAN.

Bob H | 9:17 p.m. May 24, 2008

Three young men involved in the car crash. All disobeyed their church leaders and scout leaders. They snuck out of camp at night, got in an accident and now we are treating them as "heroes"? Perhaps, the reporter should get the facts straight before writing such "glowing" articles.

So Cal Coug | 9:20 p.m. May 24, 2008

Stephen Wirthlin is the son of Richard Wirthlin who is the son of Richard Wirthlin (the BYU Professor) who is the brother of Elder Wirthlin! (I personally know the family).

Anonymous | 9:46 p.m. May 24, 2008

Stephen Wirthlin should not be considered a "Hero" He needs to 'tell the truth' how he and 2 others disobeyed their leaders, snuck out of camp and got in the accident because they were going 100+ to see if they could get air-borne. Lucky yes, hero NO!! Quit making him out to be something he is not!

wow | 11:50 p.m. May 24, 2008

everything is about religon w you people. you make me sick and our state look foolish. please move away of religous fanatics

To wow | 1:04 a.m. May 25, 2008

Come on man, This is a predominatly Mormon state. That, and we are dealing with the Cougars. If you don't like it, don't blog on it. With that being said GO COUGARS!

TO WOW | 8:12 a.m. May 25, 2008

I agree with wow. it makes me nauseous...but why would non-religious fanatics ever read comments to a desnews article. sounds dumb to me.

Huh? | 10:10 a.m. May 25, 2008

How is this even a news story? The kid is going to WALK-ON. It's not like he is the top recruit of the '08 class. While I wish this kid no ill-will and I hope he has a speedy recovery, this 'story' deserved to be a one paragraph blurb at best.

Anonymous | 2:52 p.m. May 25, 2008

How is this even a news story? The kid is going to WALK-ON. It&...

Huh?

Because he is a mormon there trying to say he's been saved!

Re: RE:Anon 9:56 | 9:17 p.m. May 25, 2008

Austin's comment will never be let down...Sadly, he said it and will be accountable for it to every Ute fan ever.

To Anonymous | 6:51 a.m. May 26, 2008

When is the last time you heard a Mormon say he was saved? That kind of tells how much you know about them...

ex-16 year old | 5:31 p.m. May 26, 2008

Let's face it , when we are 16 our world is different. We believe we are invincible. We think we will live forever. We drive 100 mph on back country roads. We sneak out of camp. It's part of growing up. It's a miracle they survived. I look back on my teenage years and think the same thing. No big deal. It's a fact of life. Teenagers do stupid things. That's how we learn.

To Bob H | 8:55 p.m. May 26, 2008

So you too have a different set of standards for LDS teenagers. You say we shouldn't make him look like a hero because he was skipping out on a freakin' boys scout camp?????? Do you know what most teenage kids are doing on a friday night? It isn't scout camp!!! You may be LDS, I don't know or care, Ute or Cougar, again I don't care. My point is anyone associated with the LDS Church or even BYU football is held to a different standard and it's quickly pointed out if someone gets out of line. However, if a player points out the good things they are doing, it's "you guys think you are so much better than everyone..."
You proved my point - if Reggie Bush was in a car wreck when he should have been at a boy scout activity EVERYONE would have said, what was he doing at Scouts??????

xan donna | 9:44 p.m. May 26, 2008

I've never read a more innacurate story in my life. The author got almost every fact wrong. In any case, there was no drinking, there were no drugs, there was a lot of stupidity and 3 boys being 3 boys, but we are all extremely grateful that for whatever reason, things turned out as good as they did. They were literally fractions of inches and seconds away from death or permanent disability. Hopefully, lives changed for the better and lessons learned.

Coach C | 7:53 a.m. May 27, 2008

Dear xan donna, what is inaccurate? The article never mentions drug or alcohol--not once.

A few things; reporters report what they are told and what police reports tell them. All of what you said was indeed in the article. So PLEASE, what are the inaccuracies?

ltdmd | 10:44 a.m. May 27, 2008

To wow:most people who refer to themselves as nauseous usually are and those who refer to themselves as nauseated usually throw-up.

Sneaky Jimmy | 2:27 p.m. May 27, 2008

Here is one inaccuracie: It's "Santa Clarita" not Santa Clara.

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