Remembering his best friend. Alabama’s most beloved fan touched many hearts. Ex-Tide coach shares son’s inspiring story.

By Bayne Hughes
Staff Writer

Gene Stallings won a national championship and coached in the Super Bowl, but his late son, John Mark, had almost as big an impact as he did without knowing how to count to 10. Those who attended First Baptist Church of Decatur’s “Friend Day” at Calhoun Community College on Sunday and the dedication of a Hartselle special-needs park in honor of his son felt that impact exactly three months to the day after John Mark’s death. Both emotional speeches brought tears to many in attendance.

Stallings, a former University of Alabama football coach, told about 2,000 people at Calhoun that the theme was fitting because John Mark, a Down syndrome child, was his best friend. Books and songs have been written about his son. Alabama named its equipment room after John Mark. Texas A&M University, where Stallings played for Paul “Bear” Bryant and was a head coach, endowed a medical scholarship in his son’s name. The Hartselle park is one of several named after John Mark Stallings. “That’s not bad for a little boy who couldn’t count to 10, but never forgot a name,” Stallings said. “He was one of those who had the ability to literally change the world.” Stallings, 73, said the two worst days of his life were when John Mark was born and when he died in August at the age of 46. He told people at the dedication of the special-needs park at the Sparkman Civic Center that, if someone told him he could go back and have a perfectly healthy child or have John Mark again, he would choose John Mark. While signing autographs following the dedication, Stallings admitted that John Mark’s impact and popularity amaze him. He said he and his wife, Ruth Ann, have received more than 1,400 letters about their son since his death.

Remembering John Mark
“He has friends everywhere,” Stallings said. “He was interested in people when most of the time people are more interested in themselves.” Stallings said talking about John Mark and attending dedications don’t help ease the pain of missing his son. He hasn’t had the willpower yet to change John Mark’s room. He still feeds his son’s fish. He takes $1 off John Mark’s nightstand every Sunday for a church offering. He regularly visits John Mark’s grave on his ranch in Paris, Texas. “My old heart is heavy because I miss John,” Stallings said. “I can still talk about him, but I miss him.” Stallings told the First Baptist crowd that money can lead to evil and the most important thing is to have a good relationship with your children. He said he’s never known anyone who didn’t have a good relationship with his children who was happy. “You can fake happiness with two cars, beachfront property and a big home,” he said. “But you won’t be happy if you don’t have a good relationship with your children.”

Most important
Stallings said parents need to teach their children holiness, fear of God and keeping the commandments. He said the most important thing is to know his children are going to heaven. He said he is ready to die because that means he’ll get to see John Mark again in heaven. Friend Day was the culmination of First Baptist’s five-part events series, “Every Day, Every Play: Make Your Life Count for Christ.” The series emphasized members practicing their faith and sharing it with others daily. The Rev. Bill Hurt, pastor, encouraged church members to bring a friend who doesn’t regularly attend church to hear Stallings and the guest musical group No Other Name. About half of those attending raised hands when asked if they weren’t First Baptist church members. “He asked me after his speech if what he said was what we expected, and I told him it more than surpassed our expectations,” Hurt said. “It was off the charts, and the people responded. The standing ovation before and after his speech show how much he means to people.” Stallings coached the Alabama Crimson Tide to a national championship in 1992. He was an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys when they won the 1978 Super Bowl.