On June 12, Colorado State offensive lineman Barry Wesley, who is Black, stood in front of teammates and told them about what he called the "the most unforgettable day of my life," imploring his fellow Black players, “Be careful. If you think it can’t happen to you, it definitely can.”

Wesley and a coworker, Kyle Farrell, had been trying to find clients for their roofing company a day earlier when they were attacked by Scott Gudmundsen, a white resident of Loveland, Col., who was outfitted with body armor, two knives and two guns, including one with an optic sight. Gudmundsen held Wesley at gunpoint during the incident and knelt on the lineman's neck.

Jamie Schwaberow/Sports Illustrated

Police eventually arrived at the scene and arrested Gudmundsen on two counts of felony menacing and false imprisonment, plus two charges of illegal firearm use.

While Gudmundsen claimed he was protecting his community from what he believed to be antifa, Wesley thinks Gudmundsen's attack was a product of the current racially-charged climate in the United States.

While Wesley continues to process what happened to him, he realizes that vulnerability through his trauma will both help him understand what he's been through and educate those around him about the social injustices Black people face in the U.S.

FOR MORE CONTENT FROM SI:

• NCAA Chief Medical Officer: 'If Testing in the U.S. Stays As It Is, There's No Way We Can Go Forward With Sports'
• Michele Roberts Opens Up About the NBA Bubble and What's Next
• Fantasy Football Bust of the Year: Which 2019 Stud Should You Fade in 2020?
• For the Celtics, Brad Stevens Isn't Going Anywhere Anytime Soon