I don't know if I talked about this much when Riley was here, but Mike & Dee would pop in to the coffee shop and chit-chat with us from time to time. They were just the nicest, most regular people. Dee had a very sweet southern accent.
Erin Sorensen wrote a really nice piece about Dee Riley. Well worth your time to read.
The profound impact of Dee Riley
I first met Dee on April 16, 2016. I had been in a severe car accident a month and a half prior, and it was my first day back at work. It just happened to be a Saturday spring practice for Nebraska football.
After shaking Mike’s hand — I had thanked him for the kind message he and former athletic director Shawn Eichorst had sent me post-accident — he turned to Dee.
“You should talk with her about her accident,” Mike said. “It’s incredible that she is here.”
For the next 45 minutes, Dee and I stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the sideline of Memorial Stadium. She listened intently as I shared the story of what happened. She reminded me over and over how God clearly had big plans for those of us in the car, since we were here today to tell the story. She then told me stories about her favorite shoes, playing tennis — she and Mike played tennis almost daily — and the silly nicknames she called her husband.
When practice ended, Mike thanked me for keeping Dee company. As the two started to walk off, she turned toward me once more.
“Erin, right? I just want you to know that you have made a profound impression on me,” Dee said. “I can never remember names but I will never forget yours. I look forward to seeing you again.”
