Real Nightmare : Okoye Tells of Enduring Family Tragedy--the Death of First Child

One year after leading the NFL in rushing, Christian Okoye played football in 1990 carrying the weight of personal tragedy.

Just before training camp opened last summer, the Kansas City Chief fullback experienced the joy of seeing his wife Lauren give birth to their first child.

But the baby lived less than half an hour before dying an unexplained death.

“Last year, I had a lot of problems, and I might as well come out and say it,” Okoye told the Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal. “I didn’t want to talk about it last year, but my wife and I lost our first child. And it wasn’t like we lost it during pregnancy. My wife had the baby, and the baby died after 23 minutes. Everything was going fine, the baby was fine. But not even the autopsy could tell us what happened.”

Okoye, a Nigerian who did not play football until his college years at Azusa Pacific, gained 1,480 yards in 370 carries for the Chiefs in 1989.

He slumped to 805 yards in 245 carries last year, and Barry Word got most of the work in the second half of the season.

“I tried my best to concentrate and do my job, but I didn’t play effectively,” Okoye said. “That’s why I was glad Barry Word was around. He’s a great football player.”

Okoye was allowed to report late to training camp last year because of his infant’s death, but a television station reported that he was holding out in a contract dispute, a report the Chiefs denied.

“Most people respected (my desire for privacy), but a few people let it build on and on through the season,” Okoye said. “It was pretty bad for me, being the way I am. It was a blow. All I could do was pray a lot and try to overcome it.”

Uncertainty still surrounds Okoye and the Chiefs’ crowded backfield. Kansas City has 12 running backs in camp, including former 1,000-yard rusher Stump Mitchell and No. 1 draft choice Harvey Williams from Louisiana State, and rumors have persisted that Kansas City intends to trade Okoye.

“The attitude I have now is to ignore all the outside stuff,” Okoye told the Capital-Journal. “I just want to prove to myself that I can still do the things I know I can do, the things I know I have to do for this team.”

Coach Marty Schottenheimer said he never doubted Okoye, who is known as the Nigerian Nightmare. “He’s having a devil of a camp,” Schottenheimer said. “You can see the improvement in practice. He’s making some great cuts. And you get a sense of quiet determination about him because of all the things that have been said.”

Okoye may have another bit of motivation. “My wife and I are expecting again,” he said. “She’s due in early September.”