Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti is planning on chartering a plane in Baltimore so members of the organization can attend the funeral for cornerback Tray Walker.
“That’s the least we can do,” Bisciotti told the team's website. “The fact that they all want to be there obviously is the right reaction. I’m happy they are going to be there representing us, showing the family how much he meant to us. That’s really what you want to express.”
Walker died last week after being critically injured in a dirt bike crash in Liberty City, Florida. The funeral is set for Saturday in Miami.
"We have two sons not too much older than Tray, and we can't imagine how much his family is suffering. This is so sad," Bisciotti said Friday just hours after Walker died. "The right words are hard to find at a time like this. As much as we can comfort Tray's mom and the rest of his family, we will."
After Walker's crash Thursday night, the Ravens sent three officials (director of security Darren Sanders, director of player engagement Harry Swayne and team chaplain Johnny Shelton) to South Florida to spend time with Walker's mother and family.
"Everybody just really loved him," coach John Harbaugh said.
This is the first time that a Ravens player has died while being on the active roster. Harbaugh acknowledged that this is "new territory."
Harbaugh learned Thursday night about the seriousness of Walker's injuries but tried to remain optimistic.
"I was like, ‘No way. He’s going to be fine,'" Harbaugh said. "Then, you got into the next day and he was in surgery and you just felt like no news was good news. And then he was gone. It was just a punch in the gut for us, for the family. It’s hard for them.”
