FanHouse

On the football field, Brian Dawkins is usually the one terrorizing opponents. Prior to the 2007 season, Dawkins had to deal with some terrifying moments of his own. Watching his prematurely born daughter stop breathing.

Phillyburbs.com has the first in a two part series on the tale of Brian Dawkins twin daughters that were fighting for their lives even before they were born two months premature.

Chionni and Cionni spent 17 days in the hospital. They came home on Sunday, May 13 - Mothers Day. Brian and Connie obtained a electronic monitor to track Cionni's breathing, and in those awful moments when Cionni seemed to forget to breathe, Brian would have to stimulate her somehow - shake her gently, wiggle her foot - until she'd let out a tiny noise, half-grunt, half-gasp.

It was as if the little girl, for a few seconds, were no longer alive ... until her father brought her back.

"It was very, very terrifying," he said.

As sports fans, we often dehumanize the athletes we love to watch. They may bring home bigger paychecks and are capable of amazing athletic feats but at the end of the day, they're just normal people like the rest of us.

The Phillyburbs.com story is an amazing glimpse into the life of Philadelphia's most beloved athlete. Brian Dawkins certainly wasn't his typical amazing self on the football field in 2007. I think this gives us a much better understanding of why.