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Blog Entry 15 of 32 The Caffiend

I love coffee. That pretty much is all anyone really needs to know about me. I am a caffeine fiend - or a caffiend, a word I concocted about two minutes ago. I have a hot cup of Seattle's Best 6th Avenue Bistro sitting in front of me right now. I don't know a lot about coffee, but I can grind it and make it and drink it like it's going out of style. I usually have a cup of coffee in my hand. I suppose my character and personality do surge deeper than the 10-cup level. I dig fine art. I love to paint and draw. I like to sit in my living room and play the guitar (and drink coffee) on Saturday mornings. Hanging out with my wife Elise and daughter Laurel...those times are the best. I love fly-fishing, stepping into a clear stream and setting the day-to-day grind adrift. And I can sit and stare out the window at the mountains for a really long time. Elise says I'm "watching out." I think it's my way of meditating. Or maybe it's caffeine overdose.

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Senseless act ends life full of hope

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Contributed by: Tim Bergsten on 7/9/2007

These old clips from The Gazette's sports pages tell a part of Diontea Jackson-Forrest's story. He was a running back for Wasson, fast and powerful. And more importantly, respected and liked be those who knew him.
September, 2004, Wasson vs. Air Academy
Diontea Forrest made up for the absence of fellow running back David Deans on Friday night in a showdown of unbeaten teams at Air Academy.
With Dean on the sideline because of a broken left wrist, Forrest ran for 255 yards and two touchdowns to lead Wasson to a frenetic 39-31 victory.
"There's good backs around the state but we haven't faced anybody that good," Air Academy coach Brian Sherman said.
Sept., 2004, Wasson vs. Mitchell
Junior tailback Diontea Forrest, who missed the previous week with a neck injury, scored on a 13-yard touchdown at the 8:47 mark to stake the Thunderbirds to a 7-0 lead. Forrest finished with 119 yards on 19 carries. Wasson won 35-16, in the city's biggest football rivalry.
Diontea Jackson-Forrest was an amazing athlete. He rushed for 4,170 yards and scored 61 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons. As a freshman, he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in Wasson's season-opening game against Palmer.
He was named first team all-area by The Gazette four times, twice in football, twice in track and field. He was projected to be a starting running back as a sophomore at Western State this coming season.
That all ended early Monday morning when Diontea Jackson-Forrest was shot to death while driving his car near the intersection of Printers Parkway and International Circle. He was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital at 3:15 a.m.
Diontea Jackson-Forrest had represented hope. He'd performed in school as he was asked. He maintained good grades. He tried hard in sports. He was a key part on a Wasson football team that was building wins and respectability.
Senseless acts of violence leave so many questions. Could Jackson-Forrest have enemies so vile that they would kill him? Or was this a random act? Could this have happened to you or I? Was there a dark side to Jackson-Forrest that few knew about?
And how does this happen on our streets, a few blocks from downtown? There have been 14 homicides in Colorado Springs this year.
Some kids try to be doctors or politicians or teachers. Some try to be athletes. We ask them all to try for some level of success in life.To try for an education, to participate in their communities. Every indication tells us Diontea Jackson-Forrest was on this path. If not, how did he slip away?

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