ESPN Visits Base

  • Published
  • By Hien Vu
  • SMC Public Affairs
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Los Angeles Air Force Base's Fort MacArthur Community Center in San Pedro,
Calif., recently played host to an ESPN crew's production.

The community center served as the backdrop for ESPN correspondent Tom
Rinaldi's interviews with Tech. Sgt. Christopher Sankey, the NCO in charge
of Air Force ROTC Detachment 55 at the University of California Los Angeles,
and his father, Mr. Albert Sankey. Sgt. Sankey and his family, wife Heidi,
son James and daughter MacKenzie, live on base.

The first segment of the interview, aired Oct. 5, focused on Mr. Sankey's
presence at a football game between the University of Washington and
Stanford University, in which the Huskies' star running back and Sgt.
Sankey's son, Bishop, rushed 125 yards and scored two touchdowns. Why the
interest from a major sports network? Because it was the first time in five
years the elder Sankey was able to see his grandson play.

Albert's vision trouble began in 1987, first with his right eye and then
affecting his left; the cause was unknown. His vision continued to
degenerate until he completely lost his sight when Bishop was a sophomore in
high school.

Now, however, Albert is able to see his grandson play again thanks to a
successful cornea transplant operation done in Calif., where he could rest
and recuperate with his family. The interviews were shown in a follow-up
segment aired during the College Game Day show, Oct. 12, before the Washington-Oregon game.

The interview's first and second segment is available online at
http://espn.go.com/espnw/video/9787815/week-7 and
http://youtu.be/pMyD11CUzl8 respectively.

[Update: Bishop rushed 167 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Oregon
game.]

 

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