Sam Pendleton was set to play in the College Football Playoff Wednesday. A terrorist attack in New Orleans changed that.
NEW ORLEANS — Chaos and lives lost are the last things the Pendletons expected to experience when they touched down in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.
“It’s really concerning we had all been in a parade yesterday,” April Pendleton said.
April Pendleton’s son Sam committed to Notre Dame in 2023 as an offensive lineman coming from Reagan High School in Pfafftown and making it to the Sugar Bowl.
Sam’s mom April spoke with WFMY News 2’s Itinease McMiller shortly after all the mothers on the team held a prayer for the families impacted and for the players to move with faith and not fear heading into Thursday’s game.
She expressed how proud she is of her son from their New Orleans hotel.
“It’s been exciting for us as parents to be with these kids and to be able to watch them make history.”
The adrenaline and energy felt the morning of a big playoff game were drained from the players when they woke up and learned 15 people were killed and more than 30 were injured while bringing in the New Year at the French Quarter.
Notre Dame and Georgia Bulldogs were scheduled to play Wednesday at the Superdome less than a mile from where a man drove a pickup truck into the crowd on Bourbon Street.
“I just looked at him and I said how are you and he goes I’m not going to lie I was jazzed up earlier because we woke up thinking we’ve got a game today and this is big and he said so there’s that initial adrenaline high and you’ve got to come down from that and recognize the reality,” April Pendleton said.
The magnitude of this tragedy is not lost on the Pendletons.
April felt it was the right call to postpone the game, with so many unknowns and explosive devices found.
“We are living in a time where it is important to lock arms and stand in solidarity for peace and the things we are going to encounter and are encountering. I keep thinking there is this very present evil and not many of us are alert to that,” she said.
Despite the horrific attack, the players are doing their best to block out the tragedy and stay focused on the game.
“You look at this and you go what are we doing what is life really about and these boys are looking at their futures and looking ahead–but it’s not lost on them. They had mass this morning,” April Pendleton said.
Prayer and vigilance are two things April wants the players to take with them inside the Superdome Thursday.
April said she has to prepare her 7-year-old for what Thursday will look like.
She said the National Guard has been brought in to assist with safety at and near the game.
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