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Dungy says death of his son in 2005 tested his faith

INDIANAPOLIS – Coach Tony Dungy has been reluctant to speak publicly about the Dec. 22, 2005, suicide of his 18-year-old son James, but the tragedy came up during a news conference Wednesday at the Indianapolis Colts west-side complex.

“For me, I think it was really a test,” Dungy said.

“I think God gives you tests to see if you’re going to stay true to what you believe and stay faithful. For me, that’s what it was, having to continue to believe. Sometimes when you have disappointments, it makes that final destination that much sweeter.”

Dungy clung to his beliefs, both personally and professionally. When his team lost four times in a six-game stretch in November and December, he just kept preaching fundamentals, telling his team, in so many words, to keep the faith.

The Colts did, like their coach, and they will meet the Chicago Bears on Feb. 4 in Super Bowl XLI in Miami.

Citizen Online Archive, 2006-2009

This archive contains all the stories that appeared on the Tucson Citizen's website from mid-2006 to June 1, 2009.

In 2010, a power surge fried a server that contained all of videos linked to dozens of stories in this archive. Also, a server that contained all of the databases for dozens of stories was accidentally erased, so all of those links are broken as well. However, all of the text and photos that accompanied some stories have been preserved.

For all of the stories that were archived by the Tucson Citizen newspaper's library in a digital archive between 1993 and 2009, go to Morgue Part 2

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