Family remembers bond between son, Argos kicker
Swayze Waters had some special guests at the Rogers Centre on Sunday.
Steve and Melinda Hendrix flew in from Jackson, Miss., to see the Toronto Argonauts kicker, and were joined by friends Johnny and Questine Benson and Waters’ wife, Kendal.
Steve and Melinda are the parents of Tait Hendrix, who died in a motorcycle crash last year. He was Waters’ closest friend.
After his friend’s death, Waters sought league permission to change his number to 34 to honour Tait, who wore that number in football.
Tait’s father, Steve, an attorney in Jackson, coached both of them in Little League baseball and soccer.
“We’re here to support Swayze,” Steve said before the game. “He’s like a son to us.”
Added Melinda: “They lived life together. They hunted and fished. They had so many life moments.”
Waters, who was awarded one of the three game balls given by the players after the 30-24 victory over Ottawa, planned to give it to Steve and Melinda as a memento.
At the funeral, Waters challenged people to use Tait’s death for good and suggested that each person commit to being a better person. Waters also inspired a group that has grown to be called Team Tait.
Tait was a certified CrossFit trainer and, in the aftermath of his death, several people now train together using Tait’s training techniques.
The Hendrixes’ trip was in doubt in June after Waters suffered a leg injury. There were concerns if could be healed in time.
The kicker’s friends and family had a laugh that Waters wouldn’t have been injured at all if Tait had any say in this. Tait trained with Waters prior to last season and Waters wasn’t injured once.
At home in Jackson, Steve Hendrix found some notebooks detailing some workouts tailored just for Waters. “We blame the injury on Swayze not working out with Tait,” Kendal said, with a smile.
Three Hendrix family were also guests of Waters last year, a 34-33 win over Hamilton in October. Tait’s parents believe there was something otherworldly about that game: the Argos’ points total represented Tait’s football number.
There was another coincidence they found surprising. The player who gave up No. 34 for Waters was Eric Black, who switched to No. 14. That was Tait’s college baseball number, which was retired in Jackson this year.