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December 17, 2009 at 1:53 PM

Schmitt and Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry's former teammates, talk about his passing

Cincinnati receiver Chris Henry died on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C. after falling from the back of a pickup truck. Here's a link to the news story right here:
Police: Bengals' Henry dies day after dispute
By Mike Cranston, Associated Press

Seahawks fullback Owen Schmitt played with Henry for one year at West Virginia. Here was his reaction to Henry's death:

"It's just a shame that happened to him. Just a guy like that, he was definitely on the up because I know he had trouble when he was younger, but Chris is a great guy. Real soft-spoken. It's just a shame to lose a guy like that, you know? It's sad, and like T.J. said, it makes you really think twice about what we get to do as men who play a game and take full advantage. Hell, take full advantage of life. Not just this, just life in general."
-- Owen Schmitt, Seahawks fullback

Seahawks receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was Henry's teammate for several years in Cincinnati. Here's what Houshmandzadeh said in reaction to Henry's passing:

"I have been on the phone a lot yesterday so I kind of knew what was going to happen, and it's unbelievable to me, man. It's like it's surreal almost. It's like you can't believe it. Did this really happen? I guy that had basically turned the corner in his life, and then this happened. It's almost like it's fake."
-- T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Seahawks receiver

Houshmandzadeh was also asked if he was close to Henry.

"I don't know how many people were really close to Slim," Houshmandzadeh said, using Henry's nickname. "I still talked to him. I talked to him after he broke his arm. He would just call me and ask me certain questions about certain things. Ask me what I thought, and I gave him my opinion. He would always say, though, 'T. I'm going to be a family like you.' "

And by all indications, Henry had changed the priorities in his life after earlier troubles that included a DUI and a citation for drinking with underage girls in a hotel room.

"Once he got released in April and nobody signed him," Houshmandzadeh said, "the Bengals re-signed him in August. I think that was the beginning of him realizing, 'I've got to change my life.' He did, and now this happens. It's crazy."

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Schmitt and Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry's former teammates, talk about his passing

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