Originally Posted by BengalsAtOSU

RIP Slim. You turned your life around and we can't ask for much more than that as fans and as people. All of Cincinnati loves you. #15 forever.

Originally Posted by Bengal_Smoov

R.I.P. Chris Henry..may he rest in peace and be remembered for the joy he bought to millions by doing what he loved to. Chris Henry will remembered by his family and fans a man who died too soon but accomplished many great things during his time with us, he will forever be in our hearts. God Bless is family during this trying time and give them the strength they need to cope and move on with their life.

Originally Posted by schotzee

Bengal fans will never forget you Chris ! God bless you and may you rest in peace!

Originally Posted by Brad_For_Prez_2020

Chris Henry was/is proof that anyone can turn their life around. Second chances aren't always wasted.

Henry showed us how hard work and determination can deter you from a life that has no rewards. He turned his life around and was quickly rising back into the hearts of the doubters.

Chris leaves behind 3 children, family, friends/brothers in the Bengals locker room and all his fans, to carry on his name.

R.I.P. Chris Henry. You will be missed.

Originally Posted by g00tch

When you stop to think about it in a logical sense, it's very odd to feel such sadness losing someone most of us have never had the pleasure of meeting face to face. On Thursday December 17th 2009. Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals passed away. It's a devastating blow to me and my fellow Bengals fans emotionally. It's weird to hear myself say that about someone I've never met. These guys are football players playing a game for my entertainment, why I am so broken up about it?

The answer is simple. I've been a Bengals fan since I can remember, back in the early years when I was 6 or 7 (my mother has photographic proof). They are my team, and always will be. When you put so much energy and emotion into rooting for you team, you develop a bond with them. You get down when they lose. You fly high as a bird when they win. It saddens you to see a player get hurt (i.e. Carson Palmer in 2005). You get bummed out when your favorite players get traded, or cut, but you move on.

Then a player like Chris Henry comes along. Henry electrified us in 2005. Watching him leap over defenders and catching bombs from Carson Palmer was one of the most exciting things about the 2005 season. It helped get the city excited about Bengals football again. I remember beating the Stealers that year, we called Henry the "Steeler Killer" because they couldn't stop him from snatching TD's out of the air.

Even through all of the controversy that surrounded him for 3 years, many of us stuck by Henry hoping he would finally get it and get his life together. That finally happened and this year, we saw a young punk football player turn into a professional. He finally got it. Stories of him and his family finally made us believe. Chris Henry was back in full form. Back on the field. Back in the arsenal. Stretching the field and making defenses pay. Taking care of his family. Keeping his life on the right track.

Tragically, a life that's come to an end much too soon. And unfortunately for everyone, we won't get to witness Henry's full potential. Our thoughts are with his fiance, three kids and the rest of his family. May he rest in peace.

Originally Posted by StephanieB25

Even though sadly he's passed away...I'm glad Chris Henry sincerely had made the moves to better his life.

As I've said, I somewhat knew him before he was a Bengal. He went to the same college as I, had a few classes with him (was actually in my bio-chem group with me) with Morgantown being such a small area everyone knows everyone and you can run into anybody.

The Chris Henry that I knew...when he wasn't around "certain people" was very smart and interesting. I can actually remember talking to him before class (irony I suppose) about relationships. That if someone can vibe with you on that deeper level...that's a rare and special thing. If you get that, hold onto it...

Watching him play at college, it was clear he would make it to the NFL. It only made it sweeter for me when he got drafted to the only football team I loved beside my Mountaineers. It highly upset me when I kept seeing reports of him getting in trouble. I don't want to bring social commentary into this, but it's just so damn common to see Chris Henry and many others like him. Who have God given gifts and are wasting it away for stupid reasons.

I was totally against him coming back here. Had I bet my house that Chris Henry would have screwed it up for himself again--I would have lost my house.

Chris Henry had grown up, he was doing the right things, had a lot of good people in his corner. I was proud of him...I'm sure he was proud of himself too.

As the same things that Mike Brown, Marvin, Chad, Marty, etc are saying about Chris Henry. Good person, had his struggles, but he was on the right path.

He'll be missed...

Originally Posted by LordWaylander

I never knew you personally, but the joy and happiness on your families faces says it all about you as a man. May your soul rest in peace. You will be sorely missed for many reasons.

Originally Posted by Megalicious23

Chris Henry is proof that no matter how hard you fall, you can get back up again. We were here to see his struggles and successes. Unfortunately, this was not the ending to his story that any of us foresaw.
Cincinnati was lucky to have Chris Henry. I loved watching him play. Rest In Peace, Chris.

Originally Posted by CanadianFan

R.I.P. Slim. If a wayward soul ever needs to find inspiration, they only have to read your life's struggle and eventual triumph. Your story is truly one of a Phoenix rising from the ashes. You will be sorely missed.

Originally Posted by osu45804

R.I.P. Chris..... After Chad Slim was my favorite player on the Bengals roster. I've been sitting here watching ESPN since 9:30am and once I saw Ocho and his comments I just lost it... You'll be missed #15!

Originally Posted by DICKMAN

This team will not be the same without him. Hard to imagine anyone having as much impact as he did on and off the field. Whether seeing him play or just knowing his story, he's an inspiration.

RIP SLIM #15

Originally Posted by MAUALUGA!!!!!

Slim’s Swan Song
By Michael Dahmane, aka MAUALUGA!!!!!

Chris Henry used to drive me insane. He was a talented player with a troubled mind. I remember that he was supposed to be drafted in the first round, but he fell to the third round because of character issues.

I remember some of his spectacular catches, I remember the arrests, I remember the suspensions and I remember watching our offense lose a valuable weapon when he wasn’t on the field.

It made me angry and upset that a guy who could have done something in the league would throw it all away. At least, that’s how it seemed at the time.

I used to be a harsh critic to Henry, I’ll admit that at times I had a sort of malice towards him; I didn’t want him to be harmed past a hard shot over the middle of the field, I just thought he was a wanna-be-thug and I had no use for him.

I assumed that Henry was just offering lip service to his fans and teammates whenever he apologized. Normally that seems to be the trend in maligned players or people when they don’t care what they’ve done, lip service.

Now maybe it was lip service at one point, maybe it wasn’t, but if it was ever lip service it changed. I remember the Vizio interview he gave, it was in depth and it showed change. I wasn’t seeing or reading rehearsed lines and thoughts, I was seeing change.

I don’t think people can understand how hard that is for a person.

Whenever he did something right in regards to life people doubted him. Whenever he stumbled people were eager to jump on him. No one remembers the Kentucky courthouse botching his drug test, no one remembers the false accusations of Henry and his friends mugging a kid.

I didn’t always believe some of the sob stories for Chris Henry, I’ve heard people blame FEMA and George W. Bush for some of Henry’s actions because Henry lived in New Orleans.

The point is that when you mess up people know it, and when you try to change things it takes time, and over that time people still won’t buy in. If you're going to be there to take shots at a man when he's messing up, why aren't you there when he's doing well? There's no good answer for that, and a lot of people are hypocrites.
I’m guiltier of that than almost anyone in regards to Chris Henry.

I don’t know everything that happened in his life, or the day that he died. I do know that his teammates raved about him. I do know that when Mike Brown gave him his last chance when no one else would that Henry was considered to be one of the hardest workers on the team. I know that Carson Palmer loved the guy.

I also know that because of his death three children are going to be without their father on Christmas. I know that a career was cut short. I know that a man lost his life, and that his family is in shambles. I know that there has to be some awkward questions for his fiancée, and I’m not condemning or defending her.

I know that a guy who almost lost it all was trying his best to right the ship.

I know that about two weeks ago I actually had the privilege to speak to Chris Henry on a podcast from a website I post on.

I told the man that it would be nice if he resigned with the Bengals that it’d be nice, and that I believed in him.

I also know that I meant those words, and I know that Chris “Slim” Henry didn’t deserve to die.
Rest in peace, Slim, we’ll always love you in Cincinnati.

Originally Posted by MAUALUGA!!!!!

Chris Henry used to drive me insane. He was a talented player with a troubled mind. I remember that he was supposed to be drafted in the first round, but he fell to the third round because of character issues.

I remember some of his spectacular catches, I remember the arrests, I remember the suspensions and I remember watching our offense lose a valuable weapon when he wasn’t on the field.

It made me angry and upset that a guy who could have done something in the league would throw it all away. At least, that’s how it seemed at the time.

I used to be a harsh critic to Henry, I’ll admit that at times I had a sort of malice towards him; I didn’t want him to be harmed past a hard shot over the middle of the field, I just thought he was a wanna-be-thug and I had no use for him.

I assumed that Henry was just offering lip service to his fans and teammates whenever he apologized. Normally that seems to be the trend in maligned players or people when they don’t care what they’ve done, lip service.

Now maybe it was lip service at one point, maybe it wasn’t, but if it was ever lip service it changed. I remember the Vizio interview he gave, it was in depth and it showed change. I wasn’t seeing or reading rehearsed lines and thoughts, I was seeing change.

I don’t think people can understand how hard that is for a person.

Whenever he did something right in regards to life people doubted him. Whenever he stumbled people were eager to jump on him. No one remembers the Kentucky courthouse botching his drug test, no one remembers the false accusations of Henry and his friends mugging a kid.

I didn’t always believe some of the sob stories for Chris Henry, I’ve heard people blame FEMA and George W. Bush for some of Henry’s actions because Henry lived in New Orleans.

The point is that when you mess up people know it, and when you try to change things it takes time, and over that time people still won’t buy in. If you're going to be there to take shots at a man when he's messing up, why aren't you there when he's doing well? There's no good answer for that, and a lot of people are hypocrites.
I’m guiltier of that than almost anyone in regards to Chris Henry.

I don’t know everything that happened in his life, or the day that he died. I do know that his teammates raved about him. I do know that when Mike Brown gave him his last chance when no one else would that Henry was considered to be one of the hardest workers on the team. I know that Carson Palmer loved the guy.

I also know that because of his death three children are going to be without their father on Christmas. I know that a career was cut short. I know that a man lost his life, and that his family is in shambles. I know that there has to be some awkward questions for his fiancée, and I’m not condemning or defending her.

I know that a guy who almost lost it all was trying his best to right the ship.

I know that about two weeks ago I actually had the privilege to speak to Chris Henry on a podcast from a website I post on.

I told the man that it would be nice if he resigned with the Bengals that it’d be nice, and that I believed in him.

I also know that I meant those words, and I know that Chris “Slim” Henry didn’t deserve to die.
Rest in peace, Slim, we’ll always love you in Cincinnati.

Originally Posted by carella211

WhoDey Forever brother!

Henry was someone kids could look up to. He started out his career making wrong decisions and hanging with the wrong people. But then, he came to a point where he looked himself in the mirror and decided to change. And to do the right thing and be the person we all knew he was and loved. Young people who may be stuggling in life, could look at Slim and say "Hey, he was were I am, and he turned his life around. If he can do, so can I." Slim was a positive presence for everyone. From family to friends, to fans. He'll be missed for soooo much more of what he was off the field than anyone could be on the field. My prayers to his family and children. RIP.