Thursday, November 25, 1999

Bengals assistant gives thanks despite hardships

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Tornado began a year of bad news

BY MARK CURNUTTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Al Roberts at Spinney Field. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        In 1999, Cincinnati Bengals assistant coach Al Roberts lost a house and most of his possessions when a tornado tore through Montgomery.(April 10 story)

        He had an angioplasty after an artery was found to be 70 percent blocked. (Oct. 21 story)         He had an irregular prostate examination that proved to be benign. He is facing a liver biopsy next month.

        He is thankful for every breath he takes.

        “I'm not just thankful because it's Thanksgiving,” said Mr. Roberts, 55, who coaches the Bengals' special teams. “I'm thankful moment to moment. I'm not waiting to be thankful. I'm thankful now.”

        Mr. Roberts and his wife, Arvella, were not injured when the April 9 tornado destroyed the home they rented on Lakewater Drive. They took up temporary residence in a Blue Ash hotel before moving in June into a 4-year-old house they bought in Mason.

Roberts removes possessions from his house after the tornado. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        “I love God more than ever before,” Mr. Roberts said. “I can give a testimony that my prayer is one of thanks. I'm getting away from asking for things in my prayer. I'm not having a hard time. A hard time is dying in a tornado or dying from cancer.”

        The couple will spend today with friends. Mr. Roberts' daughter, Genesis Steele, 24, of Seattle, flew in last Wednesday night.

        His wife and daughter will attend the Bengals' game Sunday in Pittsburgh. Then the three of them will drive back to Cincinnati together.

        “We'll just talk and enjoy each other's company,” he said.

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