25 Years After His Death, Korey Stringer's Family Finds Reconciliation With the Vikings
Widow Kelci Stringer visited team headquarters for the first time without sadness, calling the Wilf family's gesture something done with 'no legal pressure.'
Twenty-five years after offensive lineman Korey Stringer died of heatstroke during Minnesota Vikings training camp, his widow Kelci Stringer visited team headquarters on the anniversary of his death for what she described as the first year she didn't feel sad. "I can't believe the way the Wilf family has turned this around," she said, noting the organization acted with "no legal pressure" to do so.
What happened during the visit?
Kelci Stringer was joined by the couple's son Kodie, now 28, and Stringer's mother Regina Jones. The group participated in the team's huddle breakdown, met current players Justin Jefferson and Joshua Metellus, and sat down with coach Kevin O'Connell. A panel discussion led by Vikings radio analyst Pete Bercich brought together about a dozen of Stringer's former teammates, including Hall of Famers John Randle and Randall McDaniel, along with former neighbors.
Why was reconciliation needed in the first place?
Stringer died in 2001 after the team's training staff failed to recognize his heatstroke symptoms in time; he wasn't treated until he reached the hospital in critical condition. Kelci Stringer later filed a $100 million wrongful-death lawsuit against the organization, a legal fight that left the relationship strained for years.
What came out of the tragedy?
Kelci Stringer went on to found the Korey Stringer Institute, which researches sudden-death prevention in sports, the military and labor. Reflecting on the anniversary, she said: "It's been 25 years, and we're still talking about him. But I do feel it's all that Korey deserved."
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Anniversary of Korey Stringer's death completes reconciliation for family, Vikings
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