[Current Events] Chris Singleton: Another rose that has grown from concrete [Written by Brandon Williams]

Image Source: Postandcourier.com

This past Saturday marked the 2-year anniversary of the horrendous massacre committed by Dylann Roof at the Emanuel African Methodist Church, and for some of us, especially those directly impacted by this crime, it’s still a very fresh memory in our minds. It’s never easy to hear about these kinds of things so one can only imagine how it feels to have to live and carry on life as normal knowing such a random and heinous act of violence was committed just 2 short years ago, inside of a respected place of worship. However, this past week, the son of one of the victims has received news that provides a perfect example of how what you’ve been through has no impact on where you’re going. Chris Singleton, who lost his mom Mrs. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton during the massacre, was chosen as the 585th pick in the 19th round of the MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs. He just completed his Junior year at Charleston Southern University where he plays center field, starting in all 51 games of their regular season with a batting average of .276 with 21 RBI. That accompanied with his 18 bases stolen and 10 outfield assists are what got him noticed by the team. This also has him ranked as one of the national leaders in his position. The Sr. VP of Scouting & Player Development for the Cubs stated that he understands and deeply sympathizes with Chris’ story, but he wants it to be clear that he was chosen based on his stellar talent, his maturity, and his faith. The VP stated that these components combined are why they value him as a top 10 caliber talent and is what will make him a top prospect in the MLB. Singleton was working when he received the news. After the passing of his father in February of this year, he and a friend began a pool cleaning business, Moore Clean Pools, in order to help support his family. He was on an assignment cleaning one of his client’s pools when he received the phone call Wednesday letting him know that he’d been drafted to the MLB. “…My heart dropped a little bit. I answered the phone and it’s been surreal ever since ”, Singleton told a news outlet after making the announcement. Singleton has the option of finishing out his seasons at school or signing with the Cubs and finishing out the season with a Minor League team.