Mackbee dies 10 days after wish fulfilled

Last update: November 10, 2009 - 8:06 AM

Former Vikings defensive back Earsell Mackbee died Monday morning, 10 days after donors made it possible to charter a specially equipped plane and fulfill his dying wish to return to Vallejo, Calif., where he grew up.

As medical workers wheeled Mackbee on a gurney into the plane, family members were concerned the former pro football player and former Minneapolis youth counselor wouldn't survive the trip.

"But he's a battler," said his brother, Doug Mackbee, whose Napa, Calif., home was where Earsell died. "Earsell had a beautiful weekend. It was loud with family members running all over the place."

Mackbee, 68, suffered a debilitating stroke four years ago, and his family struggled during that time to find a way to grant his wish to return to California. But by the end of October, that quest took on a new urgency as pneumonia and a stomach infection took their toll. At least $25,000 in donations, including a significant contribution from the NFL players' union, made it possible to fly Mackbee home.

"It was bittersweet," Doug Mackbee said. "But at the same time, it was encouraging to see how people responded with a tremendous amount of support."

Earsell Mackbee played for the Vikings in the late 1960s and in the 1970 Super Bowl.

PAUL WALSH