Mizzou to Honor Aaron O'Neal Throughout the 2005 Season and Beyond
Aug. 30, 2005 Columbia, Mo. - As the University of Missouri football team makes final preparations for its 2005 season opener against Arkansas State this Saturday, plans to honor fallen teammate Aaron O'Neal have been finalized for the season, and beyond. Here's a brief description of the ways that the program will pay tribute to O'Neal, who died July 12, 2005, after a voluntary conditioning workout, due to causes later identified as lymphocytic (viral) meningitis. The plans were decided upon by members of the team, including Aaron's recruiting class. • A moment of silence will be held prior to the Sept. 3, 2005 game with Arkansas State at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo... • A moment of silence will be held prior to the Sept. 10, 2005 game with New Mexico at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo. For this moment, the MU team will line up on the 25-yardline, in honor of Aaron's jersey number (25)... • The team will wear a commemorative sticker on its helmet (#25) for the 2005 season... • A page dedicated to his memory will be put in the game program for the New Mexico game on Sept. 10, 2005... • A page dedicated to his memory has been put in the 2005 Media & Recruiting Guide, and the cover of the book reads "In Memory of Aaron O'Neal #25 - Forever a Tiger"... • Aaron will be kept on the official team roster in all publications until his eligibility would have expired, following the 2008 season... • Aaron will have a page dedicated to his memory in future media guides, through the 2008 season... • Aaron will be honored on Senior Day in 2008, along with his fellow recruiting classmates... • The jersey number 25 will not be assigned to anyone through the 2008 season... • Aaron's locker in the Tom Taylor Complex has been preserved behind plexiglass... • "AO #25" will be painted on the grass berm near midfield beyond both the East and West sidelines at Faurot Field for the 2005 season... • A room (to be determined later) will be named in his memory in the new $16 million renovation and expansion project that is set to break ground this fall...
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