WATCH: Michigan to wear helmet decals honoring Dametrius 'Meechie' Walker during Fiesta Bowl
Michigan football will honor the late Dametrius ‘Meechie’ Walker with special helmet decals when the Wolverines face off against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31 in a College Football Playoff Semifinal.
Walker was a highly-touted defensive line prospect from Muskegon, Michigan, and had dreamed of playing for Michigan when his career — and life — plans were derailed when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2020. After a two-year fight with the disease, Walker died last week.
The decal says, simply, “Meechie” and bears his number, 45, along with hands clasped in prayer. The message accompanying the video showing it off is simple: “Honoring our friend. Meechie will always be with us.”
For the second consecutive year, Michigan is using the postseason to honor others
Ahead of the 2021 Big Ten Championship game and in the wake of the Oxford High School shooting in southeast Michigan, the Wolverines donned patches to honor the four dead — including football player Tate Myre.
The Wolverines will honored the victims of the Oxford High School shooting by sporting yellow patches in the shape of the Oxford High “O” logo to honor all the victims, survivors and the Michigan community.
Displayed on the patches were the letters “TM” and the number “42,” representing Myre, a senior football player and scholarship recipient, one of the four students shot and killed on Tuesday.
Under the TM42 were four hearts, representing Myre and his three fallen schoolmates, Hana St. Juliana, Madisyn Baldwin and Justin Shilling.
Michigan wore those uniform patches for a win against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game and kept them on for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Georgia.
It’s fair to assume that should Michigan topple TCU and advance to the national championship, they’d do so with a memory of Meechie kept close at all times.