 |
| Gene and Louise Strahan |
There are those who travel down the road of life tooting
their own horns, making sure that others notice them. They are quick to boast
of their exploits, where they have been, what they have done, and who they
rubbed shoulders with while doing it. I suppose they don’t realize how annoying
they are to those of us who get stuck at their table during social events.
Then there are those who, from all appearances, are rather
ordinary people, living rather ordinary lives. You never hear them tooting
their horns or touting their accomplishments. Yet, when you take a closer look,
you discover that they are, indeed, extraordinary people who happen to prefer
traveling down the road of life, quietly doing business very well. They are the
kind of people with whom you would be happy and honored to share a table. Anywhere.
Any time.
Such people are Gene and Louise Strahan, and I was honored to visit their home and interview them several years ago while writing an article for a Christian magazine.
You've probably never
heard of Gene and Louise, but if you’re a fan of professional football, you have heard of
their son, hall-of-famer, Michael Strahan.
Michael Strahan played defensive end for the New York Giants
for many years and will join “Good Morning America” full-time on September 6th.
 |
| Gene Strahan with his four sons. |
While Gene and Louise may have a famous son, that is not
what makes them extraordinary. To them, Michael is simply one of their six
talented children—all equally special in their eyes. What makes Gene and Louise Strahan stand out from the crowd
can be summed up in two words: faithfulness and dedication.
Since their marriage in 1957, Gene and Louise have always
been a team. A military man, Gene has been all over the world, but spent a lot
of his enlisted time in Mannheim, Germany.
After his retirement in 1985, the
Strahans remained in Germany while Gene worked under the umbrella of Chicago’s
City College as the coordinator of the drivers training department in Germany,
training military personnel in the driving of military vehicles—everything from
jeeps to tanks.
In 1989, Gene and Louise formed their own transportation
company, working together as a driving team. For the next 10 years, they
carried much-needed humanitarian aid to eastern European countries. Rightfully
so, they were called “angels” by many of those who were on the receiving end of
their road trips.
The year 1992 proved to be a monumental year for the Strahan
family. Michael was drafted by the New York Giants, but something much greater
occurred, as they see it. Gene had been attending a “prayer and share” service at the
Spinelli Military Base Chapel, hosted by the Pentecostal Church of Calvary. Three
months later, on November 25, 1992, he was Spirit-filled and baptized. Eventually, Louise followed
in her husband’s footsteps.
In 1999, while still in Germany, the Strahans received an
impressive award, in recognition for their 10 years of “outstanding sacrifice in providing humanitarian
aid to Eastern Europe.” This beautiful plaque now sits in a prominent place in
the Strahan’s home.
In 2000, the Strahans said good-bye to Germany and moved to
Houston, where today they are faithful members at the Church of Champions.
It isn’t every day that you meet extraordinary people like
Gene and Louise Strahan. But whenever you do, you just know that you will never
forget them, because they are people who will always make a difference wherever
they go.
***
