JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Life on Rock Beach at Jacksonville University can be brutal, but it's Jeremy Winston's oasis.
"I guess it's kind of like my vacation away from life it's my own little bubble that I can go to," Winston said about Jacksonville men's lacrosse's field.
Winston is a graduate student for the Dolphins. In the heat of practice, the captain keeps it cool, but real.
Lessons learned from his father, Dennis.
"I try to keep my head cool and keep calm and poised because that's something my dad always told me when you're dealing with adversity," Winston said.
Dennis Winston's words have never resonated louder with his son than this January.
"It was pretty sudden yes and he was going to doctors appointments and starting his treatment and stuff," Winston said.
"He was in the hospital and then the next day I was headed to the airport and my mom told me that he had passed away in the afternoon," he added.
"It was definitely tough to hear my mom on the other end crying and to hear people in the background crying and frustrated and I definitely was frustrated too that I wasn't there but the only thing I could do was to be patient and wait to get home to Dallas," Winston said.
Dennis Winston died at the age of 59 from an infection, his death, sudden and unexpected. With his son miles away, grief was the last thing on Jeremy's mind.
"I was more focused on being the rock for my mom and my sister. I think my Dad being so mentally tough that he was and teaching me and showing me all these things kind of prepared me for how someone you love a lot goes away and I think he prepared me," Winston said.
Winston has helped lead the Dolphins to a Top 10 national ranking, their best season in program history.
The midfielder wears a necklace with his dad on it. Rock Beach is where Jeremy can let go and lay it all on the line as he and the Dolphins make one final run.
"You know my Dad's never made it about himself in anything that he's ever done you know you can ask anyone that knows him that and they'll tell you that I'm right I think my Dad will tell me that I owe it to myself because he knows how much hard work I've put into this sport he would want me to go out with a bang," Winston said.
