Blue Bones

Published by BYU’s The Y Magazine

Blue Bones

Each BYU Homecoming, George H. Brimhall descendants sponsor an essay contest honoring a BYU founder. Law student Sarah Clifford (BA ’15) won the 2017 contest, which recognized former football coach R. LaVell Edwards (EdD ’78). A condensed version of her essay is below.

LaVell Edwards was raised blue, and the color seeped into his bones. As a lanky boy, he scrambled up orchard trees adjoining the practice field to glimpse the BYU football team. His dream was to be a coach.

I was raised blue too. As a spirited girl I devoured stories of BYU, taking them in almost every morning along with Dad’s chocolate chip pancakes and a glass of whole milk. “Did I ever tell you how I proposed to Mom in the Wilk with a plastic ring on the Christmas tree? Or how Grandpa named the Cougar Club? Did you know your great-grandma was so beautiful she was crowned the Belle of the Y? Now finish your milk. It will make your bones strong.”

Between bites of pancake and gulps of milk, I would imagine my own college story. Sometimes I imagined I was studying English and living in the dorms. Other times I was studying geology and sharing a room with my best friend off campus. All those dreams had one thing in common: they took place at BYU.

. . .

Click here to read Sarah's full essay published in BYU's Y Magazine.


about the author

Sarah Clifford is a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy, advising individuals, families, and business owners with their estate plans to help manage and preserve wealth and assets. Her experience includes probate and trust administration, including representation of high-net-worth clients with trusts and estates valued in excess of $20 million.

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