“Spencer was the first…”
The first friend that became a brother, the first person to ask you how your day was going and the first person who would be there when you needed him most. Spencer Webb strived to make a lasting impact on everyone around him.
We all hear how life can drastically change at any moment, but none of us could’ve imagined life without Webb.
It’s hard to fathom because Webb was a person who everyone thought embodied the cliche phrase “Live life to the fullest.” And there wasn’t anyone who enjoyed life more than him.
The morning of July 13, 2022, started like any other summer day for Oregon football. The Ducks had their all-team meeting at 8:00 a.m. and they were split into groups to discuss gratitude.
Sam “Taki” Taimani was fortunate enough to be in Webb’s group where they talked about all the people they are grateful to have in their lives.
Taimani said Webb specifically went forward and talked about how he truly missed his teammates in the offseason and told them how they were more than just teammates to him.
“That’s something that will always stick with me,” Taimani said. “He really loved the boys here and they were brothers to him, no matter what. He loved you the same way.”
The team went their separate ways and Webb went to a popular swimming hole near Eugene called Triangle Lake later that afternoon.
According to James Crepea of The Oregonian, around 2:30 p.m., Webb attempted to climb a “nearly vertical” cliff and fell while in the process.
Bystanders rushed to Webb, put him on a raft before bringing him to a rock along the banks of the swimming spot and performed CPR.
West Lake Fire Department was the first emergency response to arrive at the scene and at 3:09 p.m., Webb succumbed to his injury.
Word of the tragedy began trickling through the Eugene community and eventually the entire college football world.
No one could’ve imagined this kind of situation, especially his teammate and best friend since high school, Isaah Crocker.
Growing up on the outskirts of Sacramento, the two were “a package deal” coming to Oregon and made plans to leave Eugene in the same fashion.
“Me and Spencer had a certain goal and that was to make it to the NFL,” said Crocker, who was asked about his dedication to stay at Oregon through the adversity he’s faced. “Growing up with him and being together nearly every day, I have to stay.”
Webb left behind so many, including his brother Cody and sister-in-law Alicia, who became his legal guardians after his parents were no longer in the picture.
“At only a very young age you guys became the greatest parents ever,” Webb tweeted in September 2017 beside pictures of Cody and Alicia. “I love you guys.”
They both spoke at his memorial service and Alicia put together a statement that all who knew Webb could certainly attest to.
“We all know Spencer was a great football player,” Alicia said. “But Spencer was one of the best dancers in the room, he had a special handshake with everyone he knew and he genuinely cared about the time he got to spend with you. Whether you met him for the first time or you knew him for a long time.”
He also left behind his girlfriend Kelly Green, who announced in August she is pregnant with a baby fathered by Webb.
“We created an angel before heaven gained one,” Green said via Instagram. “Can’t believe I have to do this without you but knowing I’ll have a piece of you keeps me going.”
One could go on about the way Webb carried himself forever. His genuineness and ability to make friends with anyone were evident in whatever setting he was in.
“He could talk to you for three minutes and by the end of the conversation, he’d know where you’re from, what makes you tick and maybe even your social security number,” head coach Dan Lanning said.
A story shared by Lanning at his memorial service spoke volumes about this.
At a team meeting, Lanning showed a picture of one of the janitors who worked at the practice facility and asked the entirety of the Ducks football team if they knew this man.
Just one hand was raised… of course, it was Webb’s.
The team has undoubtedly grown closer as a result of the tragedy.
“There’s no more being quiet,” Taimani said. “Dudes were really opening up to each other and sharing their feelings because we just lost a brother.”
Those uncomfortable talks are player-led and can include anything from relationship issues to school and even depression.
It’s awful that a devastating occurrence like this is what forces teams to open up and build stronger bonds between teammates, but at the same time, it’s ironic because relationships are what made Webb the person he was.
