Broken clouds Reggie Nelson’s mother never got to see him play in a Jaguars uniform.
She never saw his national championship game at the University of Florida. Now every time Nelson makes a game-changing tackle, forces a fumble or comes up with an interception, he looks up to his mother knowing she’s the foremost reason he accomplished what he has today. Mary Lakes died of breast cancer in 2006 at age 47. In her memory, Nelson created the Mary Lakes Invitational Bowl Against Breast Cancer. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the North Florida affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The event is set for June 27 at Orange Park Bowl America. Registration is $30 per bowler and will run until June 12. A minimum of four bowlers are required for each team. “Even if my mother was alive, we would have done this thing anyway,” Nelson said. “It’s what she would have wanted. So many women are affected by breast cancer, and we’ve always tried to be big supporters.”
Although Nelson’s mother went through multiple treatments of chemotherapy and radiation, Lakes never stopped smiling. Despite the pain, she never stopped taking care of Nelson and his three siblings.