Aaron Craver is one of the few people who misses having big phone bills.

The New Orleans Saints running back used to talk frequently on the phone to his mother in San Diego.

"I looked forward to talking to her the day before the game because she would always encourage me," he said. "She'd remind me to go out and play hard, to pray before the game and carry the bible with me at all times. Now there's no phone bill."

That's because his mother, Callene, 61, died of an aneurysm last June, 3 1/2 weeks after his father, Archie, died at age 63 of lung cancer.

For showing great poise after his parents' deaths, Craver will be honored tonight at the 21st annual Ed Block Courage Award Banquet at Martin's West as one of 30 winners -- one from each NFL team. The Detroit Lions' training staff will be honored as the best of the year. The awards go to players who display unusual courage in the face of adversity.

The proceeds from the banquet help fund the eight Courage Houses in various NFL cities that help abused children.

Craver was touched to receive the award in honor of his parents.

"It's pretty special because other people respect what I went through, and it lets you know how they feel about their parents. It's really a big deal. My family really appreciates it," Craver said.

Both of his parents' deaths were sudden. Even though his father had been ill, his cancer had been in remission.

Craver, 30, was back home in New Orleans just five days when he got the call that his mother had suddenly become ill.

"It's a tough thing, losing your parents," said Craver, who has a wife and three children. "You immediately start thinking of everything they ever did for you. You can't believe it happened. It got to the point where I was scared to pick up the phone, thinking something else was going to happen."

Craver said his father was his toughest critic.

"When everybody would tell me how well I was doing, he'd be the one to tell me like it really was," he said. "He was the one who kept me humble. Now I've got to watch out for myself. I've got to criticize myself now."

The second youngest of six brothers, Craver managed to have a good season for the Saints while dealing with his grief.

"I didn't get a chance to be at home with the rest of the family to go through the aftermath with them," he said.

Still, he became the first Saints player to score a touchdown rushing, receiving and on a kickoff return in the same season.

The most meaningful honor was still to come. When the Saints gathered to vote on the winner of the Ed Block Courage Award, named for the late Baltimore Colts trainer, quarterback Billy Joe Hobert told his teammates how Craver had lost both of his parents in the off-season.

Since Craver had joined the team last year as a free agent, he had told very few of his teammates about the tragedy. Craver assumes Hobert heard about it from trainer Dean Kleinschmidt.

Kleinschmidt said of Craver: "He's a special human being. I'm so proud that Aaron is our winner -- the pain and suffering he's had to deal with, and really none of his teammates knew about his situation. He's not one to talk about himself."

This is not the first time Craver faced adversity. At a workout in his senior year at Fresno State, Joe Brodsky, who was then a Cowboys assistant coach, collapsed. Craver, who had recently completed a first-aid course, helped save his life by putting a solar-powered calculator between his teeth to keep him from swallowing his tongue.

"I jumped in and basically stabilized him," Craver said.

Brodsky was rushed to a hospital, had surgery for a cyst on his brain and has since recovered.

Ed Block Awards

What: 21st annual Ed Block Courage Award Banquet

When: Tonight, 7

Where: Martin's West Pub Date: 3/09/99