LONISE BIAS BRINGS A MESSAGE OF TRAGEDY AND HOPE

Mother Of Deceased Maryland Star Speaks At Basketball Camp

Don and Maryjo Vanwingerden haven't had a son on the verge of NBA
stardom, but they are able to relate to the pain Lonise Bias spoke of
Thursday night at Dan Lawray's Basketball Camp at Benton Middle School.

In June 1986, Lonise Bias's son Len, arguably the greatest basketball
player in University of Maryland basketball history, died of a
cocaine overdose two days after being selected No. 2 in the NBA draft
by the Boston Celtics. Four years later, Lonise lost a second son,
Jay, who was shot to death.

But from that sadness and sometimes overwhelming grief, Lonise Bias
found a purpose, and she now travels the country offering hope and
wisdom while speaking about parenting and self-love. A group about
150 campers and parents took in her hour-long speech last week.

"If we can get parents not to be discouraged and to know that hope is
not extinct -- to know that their children are reachable, teachable,
loveable and savable -- we have to work hard, because they are up
against so many negatives today," she said after the speech.

Her message of hope resonated with the Vanwingerdens, who have dealt
with the death of an infant child. Their three boys -- Case, 14,
Jacob, 12, and Nathan, 10 -- attended Lawray's camp.

"We're lucky we have three other children that got us out of bed
every morning," Maryjo Vanwingerden said. "I realized the things I
used to get down on my kids about or the things that used to bug me
about my kids, I just realized what's important -- and that's not.
Building them up and giving them character is."

Bias spoke with the energy and enthusiasm of a charismatic preacher
and the urgency of someone who has lost two children. Perhaps most
telling was that she spoke little about the vices of drugs and
violence, saying that the problem isn't drugs, but a lack of love in the home.

"The greatest seeds to sow into your children have to come from the
home," Bias said. "Sow love into your children."

Bias told those assembled not to put their efforts into pleasing
their peers but to invest in one's self-image; that even men cry at
times; and that no one gets too old for a hug. After she spoke,
campers and their parents lined up to thank Bias and give her a hug.

"Some people used to make fun of me because of my appearance, but I
just don't worry about it and run through it, because ultimately it
doesn't matter what they think," Jacob Vanwingerden said.

Lawray -- an assistant basketball coach at Potomac High who works at
the middle school -- has been putting on the camp for seven years.
His goal is to teach the campers about more than just basketball. And
every year Lawray tells the story of Len Bias's life -- and death.

"I used to love to watch Len play," said Lawray, who prepped campers
by showing them old highlights of Bias. "He was so graceful. No
expression -- he just played and elevated his game to whatever he needed to."

Lawray graduated from Gar-Field in 1986, just days before the
basketball star's death. Shortly afterward, he played against Jay
Bias in a summer league game. Lawray felt that the 20th anniversary
of that summer was a good time to remind a new generation of the Bias tragedy.

"I just felt like what happened to him could happen to any kid,"
Lawray said. "The temptations to go out and do things that aren't
right are there. I just felt like this was the time to see if I could
get her to come down. Hopefully, even if it just saves one kid, I'll be happy."