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A year ago, Tyrone McGraw announced to the 2016 graduating class at Riordan — where a decade before he had spoken as the school’s valedictorian — that he was born with crack cocaine in his blood system.
Four months later, his godfather and new caregiver, Brad Hallett, died of a stroke.
McGraw’s commencement speech spent little time focusing on those details, instead clearly laying out thoughts, tools and internal ammunition to bypass and hurdle physical and mental obstacles.
Ones he used to earn a scholarship to Stanford, where he was a running back for two years, set the school’s 60-meter record in track, and earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in American studies.
Tools he utilized to study abroad — at Oxford and Berlin — and intern at the White House under President Barack Obama.
On Sunday, almost a year to the date of his commencement speech, with girlfriend Mayte Sanchez by his side, McGraw died in his sleep after a three-year battle with cancer.
Riordan principal Vittorio Anastasio, who has been at the school 33 years and who invited McGraw to speak, said his good friend and former student was upbeat until the end.
Anastasio saw all of it at Riordan, where McGraw was the school single-season rushing leader and qualified for the state track meet.
According to Anastasio, McGraw was everywhere.
All the Ivy League schools wanted him, but he signed a letter of intent to Stanford presented to him by Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh.
“In 35 years as a sports journalist, I’ve never met anyone as inspiring as Tyrone McGraw,” he said.
Social media posts were filled with similar sentiments.
Anastasio said services are pending and that a memorial would be in the school’s 1,200-seat auditorium sometime in the next month.
MaxPreps senior writer Mitch Stephens covers high school sports for The San Francisco Chronicle.
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Four months later, his godfather and new caregiver, Brad Hallett, died of a stroke.
McGraw’s commencement speech spent little time focusing on those details, instead clearly laying out thoughts, tools and internal ammunition to bypass and hurdle physical and mental obstacles.
Ones he used to earn a scholarship to Stanford, where he was a running back for two years, set the school’s 60-meter record in track, and earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in American studies.
Tools he utilized to study abroad — at Oxford and Berlin — and intern at the White House under President Barack Obama.
On Sunday, almost a year to the date of his commencement speech, with girlfriend Mayte Sanchez by his side, McGraw died in his sleep after a three-year battle with cancer.
Riordan principal Vittorio Anastasio, who has been at the school 33 years and who invited McGraw to speak, said his good friend and former student was upbeat until the end.
Anastasio saw all of it at Riordan, where McGraw was the school single-season rushing leader and qualified for the state track meet.
According to Anastasio, McGraw was everywhere.
All the Ivy League schools wanted him, but he signed a letter of intent to Stanford presented to him by Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh.
“In 35 years as a sports journalist, I’ve never met anyone as inspiring as Tyrone McGraw,” he said.
Social media posts were filled with similar sentiments.
Anastasio said services are pending and that a memorial would be in the school’s 1,200-seat auditorium sometime in the next month.
MaxPreps senior writer Mitch Stephens covers high school sports for The San Francisco Chronicle.
More...