‘It’s definitely been hard’: UM’s Mark Fletcher Jr. carrying on following dad’s death
Mark Fletcher Jr. is still hurting, still processing.
Thursday will mark five weeks weeks since his dad, Mark Fletcher Sr., died on Oct. 24 at 53 years old.
“It’s been horrible, honestly,” Fletcher, a sophomore running back for the Miami Hurricanes, said last week. “It’s definitely been hard.”
Fletcher Sr., “Big Mark” as he was known around the program, “was just a great guy,” his son said. “Funny. Loving. A loving husband, loving father, loving friend, brother. An overall great person.”
As Fletcher has dealt with the grieving process during the past month, he has remained grateful for the support he has gotten.
“Just being around these great people at this school and my family [are] holding me strong,” Fletcher said.
Playing football and helping the Hurricanes attempt to get to the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game and, hopefully, a spot in the College Football Playoff has helped keep his mind occupied throughout the process, as well.
Fletcher received the news of his father’s passing before practice on Oct. 26 ahead of the team’s home game against rival Florida State. Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said when he talked with Fletcher after finding out the news, Fletcher “wanted to be around his brothers and his team.” He wanted to do right by his team.
“You trust that guy with your life because he does everything the right way regardless of the situation and circumstance,” Cristobal said. “And then just looking at him and just hearing him out, this was what he wanted. And on top of that, just as importantly it’s what he deserves.”
Fletcher made an immediate impact in Miami’s eventual 36-14 win in front of a sold-out crowd at Hard Rock Stadium, scoring the team’s first touchdown on its opening possession.
After he ran into the end zone, Fletcher got down on one knee and lifted his right pointer finger toward the sky.
“Just a shout out to my dad, paying him respect,” Fletcher said after that game. “It’s been a long time since he’d seen Hard Rock this packed. I know he would have loved this, this energy out here, all the seats was taken up. I know he would have loved it. So, I just did this for him.”
It will continue to be that way. Fletcher will continue to honor his father with how he performs on the gridiron through his college football career and beyond.
His coaches and teammates will support him through the process, too. The entire team attended Fletcher Sr.’s funeral service on Nov. 1, the day before Miami hosted Duke. Fletcher scored the Hurricanes’ final touchdown in that game against the Blue Devils on a 1-yard rush with 5:37 left in the game.
That touchdown gave the Hurricanes … 53 points.
“He’s one of the best teammates that you can ask for as a player on his team,” Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward said. “He does all the little things. He never takes days off. He deserves it, and everything that’s going to come his way down the future five and 10 years from now, when he gets his chance to play in the league. He deserves everything.”
Fletcher this season has run for 499 yards with a career-high six touchdowns on 87 carries. Fletcher has 357 of those rushing yards and three of his six touchdowns through six games since the start of October while forming the physically imposing one-two punch with Damien Martinez that the Hurricanes hoped to have when the season began.
“We’ve been picking it up,” Fletcher said. “We’re just trying to help Cam out as much as we can. I mean, he’s amazing, Mr. Magic, but in football, you’ve got to run the ball. That’s what we’re picking up, and we’re going to continue to do that.”
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