In the high stakes world of college football, it seems everything is measured in wins and losses. No one has to tell Florida State football Coach and Harrison County native Jimbo Fisher that.

 

Fisher knew that when he entered the profession decades ago. I’m sure he’s reminded of it daily.

 

Here’s the thing for those of us that know Jimbo Fisher beyond coaching. He’s good to the core. Give credit to his parents, his community, his educators, his past coaches or whoevere you want, Jimbo Fisher got it right and continues to get it right every single day, every single moment of his life.

 

Be patient; I’m going somehwere with this.

 

During a recent conversation with Craig Wilson, the vice president of the Bridgeport-based Wilson Martino Dental, he asked me if I watch the Showtime Series “A Season with FSU,” which documents the ongoing year with the Seminoles football program. I have watched it, not religiously mind you, but I have tuned in as at the age of 48 I get a huge kick of seeing someone that grew up in my neighborhood being a regular on television.

 

Wilson then asked me if I noticed Jimbo’s wrist. While I am an observer by nature and through my job, wrist watching isn’t usually part of the equation. That led me to asking why.

 

The answer was pretty cool. It seems Jimbo Fisher’s wrist – since earlier this summer – not only gives a little bit of love to Bridgeport High School, but more importantly gives a whole lot of love to a BHS alum who is battling cancer.

 

It’s there – on his right wrist. Amidst the garnet and gold all around Fisher’s surroundings and even on Fisher himself, there’s a purple “Timmy Tough” rubber bracelet. For those of you not aware, it’s in honor of 2012 BHS graduate Timmy Wilson, who happens to be Craig’s son.

 

Timmy Wilson, for those of you who visit this site, was diagnosed in June with medulloblastoma. It is cancer; a brain tumor that is located on the brain stem. Part of the tumor was removed in surgery at Duke University. Part of it remains. Since then, he’s fought the disease with all the fury one would expect of a former standout student-athlete who has way too much to live for to throw in the towel.

 

That brings us to the connection between the Wilson family  and the Fisher family and the kindess that is so freely displayed. Ironcially, it goes back to high school – even though Craig Wilson and Jimbo Fisher never went to school together, both are graduates of Liberty High School. And it goes back to a family connection who happens to live near the Fisher family.

 

Craig was a senior during Fisher’s freshman year. That was back when a lot of high schools were grades 10 through 12 and freshmen were still at the old “junior high” model of education. Fisher was then attending his final year at North View Junior High so the connection is more of going to an the same alma mater as opposed to becoming friends in the halls of the Davisson Run Road school.

 

The  better connection is through  Wilson’s cousin, Aaron Gain, who  is currently in a cancer battle of his own, and lives near the Fisher family  in the Glen Falls area. From those visits to that family, Craig Wilson and Jimbo got to know each other. Wilson actually knows Fisher’s brother and former Robert C. Byrd football coach Bryan Fisher better.

 

“I hunt with his brother Brian. We hunt in Glen Falls and Snake Hollow,” said Craig. “Brian’s a great man as well.”

 

Even with that, Craig Wilson had never told Jimbo about his son’s situation. His Uncle Buddy Wilson, however, did.

 

“My Uncle Buddy takes his son to Jimbo’s football camp every year and and that’s how he found out about Timmy,” said Wilson.

 

Jimbo Fisher, who had already sent Timmy Wilson some items when he graduated from BHS (including a FSU football that has the words “Good Luck at WVU”  on it) didn’t forget about Timmy’s situation after being told by Craig’s uncle sometime after June. During Fisher’s annual summer trek home to see his mother Gloria and visit family and friends, Craig Wilson went down to the Fisher farm where he was with friends like Steve Daniels and Rod Taylor and the Fisher family.

 

“Jimbo talked about Timmy and he told me he was praying for him. He gave me a signed hat to take back to him. I gave Jimbo some stuff … including a Timmy Tough bracelet and honestly didn’t think much more of it,” said Wilson. “Then my family noticed it on television on the Showtime series.

 

“I wasn’t shocked when I saw it because of the type of person he is. When you’re there for that family gathering when he comes in it’s kind of like old home week,” Wilson said with a laugh. “Rod Taylor and I went there just planning on staying for a little bit and we  ended up staying for a great dinner Jimbo’s mother put together. It was a lot of fun because they’re so welcoming and easy to talk to.”

 

The best part, Wilson said, is that the kind gesture of the signed hat and the fact he wears that bracelet lifted his son’s spirits. He said it makes Timmy Wilson’s day every time he sees that.

 

“He’s been carrying that hat Jimbo signed for him,” said Craig. “He appreciated it and we appreciate the kind gestures.”

 

The kindness on all fronts has helped. This past week Timmy Wilson returned home. A Friday from yesterday they held a big family and friends gathering. Thursday, he was honorary captain at the BHS soccer game. He’s been to Morgantown and Parkersburg and, most important, he’s been back to place that feels normal.

 

“He’s going through chemo and he’s getting better. The part of the tumor that remains in his brain, with the new treatments and radiation, the doctor said it appears to be starving from the inside,” said Craig. “Things are looking up, he’s feeling better and he’s been able to rest. There are so many things that help out to keep you going on the journey.

 

“This normalcy has helped. It’s got his mind off of things,” Craig continued. “He’s just not thinking about it all the time. He’s with friends and family and having fun and even when he sees Jimbo with that bracelet, it’s something that’s a good thing for him.”

 

Wilson, like so many others that have known Jimbo Fisher long before he became Coach Fisher on ESPN and every other sports network, knows the fiber that makes up the being of the coach in Tallahassee. Through this, he said there’s two things that have become entrenched in his mind – one really positive and one with a little bit of sports-related regret.

 

“How he’s dealt with my son, which solidified what I knew about him, should let everyone know is that he’s just a good person. You watch that Showtime series and what you see with him is real,” said Wilson. “The only bad thing about seeing him and knowing what type of person and coach he is would have to be knowing it makes me a little bit sick that he’s not coaching here in West Virginia.”

 

Whether he would be here or even where he’s at in Florida, no matter what the record shows, let it be know it’s these things Jimbo Fisher does that proves over and over he’s a winner. If you’re still not convinced, just look at his wrist.

 

Editor's Note: Top Photo, where you can see the bracelet on Jimbo Fisher's wrist, is a screen shot from a video of him meeting with Bo Paske, an autistic youngster who was befriended by one of his players. Second photo shows what the bracelet looks like, while Timmy Wilson is shown in August greeting visitors after a round of medical treatments at Duke. In the fourth photo is the football Fisher provided to Timmy Wilson prior to him entering college (note the WVU remark on the FSU football) and the hat he recently gave Timmy's father Craig. Bottom photo shows Fisher with his family when a sign was unveiled noting his hometown of Clarksburg.