I wouldnt put anything past him, Langford said. Turner was sidelined. But now, only South Koreas Sanghyeok Woo has jumped higher than Turners 7-7 this year. Abandoned Country is a companion blog to that project. On his off-time, its likely that hes trying one of the areas new restaurants, attending a live show, or training on the soccer field. At 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, Turner was severely undersized, but he. The electrifying play was made even sweeter because it came against the Detroit Lions, coached by Fontes. One hundred ninety years is a lot of time for a case to grow cold. Bruce Turner said many people sympathized with his ancestors motivations. Over the next two days, he and a growing band of rebels hacked and clubbed to death upwards of 55 white people men, women and children alike. He was released by the Bills before the start of the next season, and went on to play for the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Can we bring a species back from the brink? He was always pushing money in my pocket. But 6'6 not bad at all you kidding me! Vernon Turner's story and upbringing is one of the most powerful and inconceivable triumph tales ever told, and much of it took place right on Staten Island during his days as Curtis HS's star quarterback. When hes not providing viewers with the weather forecast, you can find Vernon spending time with friends and family, or giving back to his community. I went to a small [Division II] school. Recently, he turned it over to Turner's descendants, who have enlisted forensic experts for testing. "I felt bad, so I handed my equipment over to the coach and told him I can't play anymoreI walked away crying and he followed me and gave me a life lesson: "one thing you're never gonna do is quit.". Five years later, a Richmond Times article claimed that Turners skeleton was in Toano, near Williamsburg, being used for anatomical study by a local doctor. *****************************************, NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The book is broken into four sections -- football quarters -- and despite his troubled younger life, the essence of Turner has remained: He's still optimistic and determined. If we are encouraged to face the truths of our past through certain events that capture peoples attention or imagination, if it pushes people to learn and understand history, that is a good thing., Ben lives in Williamsburg, Virginia. His siblings whom he remains close to all these years later, though the youngest passed away in 2015 at the age of 38 were 16, 12, 11 and 8 at the time of his fathers death. On the other hand, one of Turner's assistant coaches encouraged him to focus on his grades in college -- a message that Turner interpreted differently. I spent my whole life with this skull, Franklin says. While in Tampa, Turner became the first player to return a kick or punt for a touchdown in franchise history, forever cementing himself in the NFL record book. [3] In November 2011, Curtis High School inducted him into its Hall of Fame. He's worked as a manager at a tire manufacturing facility and an office installation company, but is currently managing an oil refinery. "The Next Level" is filled with touching snapshots of Turner's formative years as he was transformed from a 98-pound freshman running back at Curtis to a productive NFL wide receiver/kick returner/running back for the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Accompanied by a small army of his brethren, the group fought their way through the countryside of Southampton County, Virginia, with hopes of ending the scourge of slavery. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. And one day, sitting in his dorm room with his head hung low, Turner looked up at the television. NORMAN Vernon Turner has heard all the rumors that floated around about him. Facebook. Many in the family would like to see the skull buried in Southampton. Bruce Turner, a Virginia Beach resident and a great-great-great-great-grandson of Nat Turner, is not convinced its his. [citation needed], National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, "Ex-NFL player Vernon Turner tells his story, no holds barred", "Carson-Newman carries on football successes", "CarsonNewman rushes to NAIA championship", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vernon_Turner&oldid=1131071940, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 2 January 2023, at 11:55. He can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including FM-98.1. He fathered two children, a daughter and son, out of wedlock while a college student in Tennessee and only recently did he meet his son, Darris, who tracked his father down through Facebook. Because I'm you, from the future. But deep inside he felt that Turners remains should be reunited with his descendants. The ethnographic museum of the past is making its way to the exit.. "I'm so blessed and grateful just to be on this Earth and be able to pay it forwardI'm not worthy of this," said Turner. What if we could clean them out? "Even with all the accomplishments, I didn't take compliments wellI was trained that way by Coach Olivieri," said Turner. This injury could be one piece of evidence that helps identify the skull at the Smithsonian as Turners, said Kelley Fanto Deetz, a Black history scholar who was a consultant for The Birth of a Nation, a 2016 film about the insurrection written and directed by Norfolk native Nate Parker. 5h Rain continues to move into the area. He found the mental toughness to get it done. During those conversations, he says he often shares the following quote (widely attributed to Mark Twain): The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why., That was pivotal for me, Turner emphasizes. Support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today. (Photo courtesy of vernonturner.com). Tracking hurricanes is like being stalked by a turtle. Even outside of track, I feel like it taught me things about myself, he said. When Turner was 6, an Italian-American customer of his mother's asked her to marry him and she accepted. "The physicality of football allowed me to get my frustrations outI played so hard I'd be too tired to be upset.". EXCLUSIVE: Undrafted punt returner Vernon Turner might have come into the NFL through modest auspices, but his inspiring life story will head to the screen backed by a high wattage group of producers. [1] Among those killed were Hayes and Mary Turner. Turner, a phenom when he was coming out of Yukon High School, How risky strategy propelled Oklahoma State's Taylor Roe to national title, Five things to know about the Sooners' first-round opponent, David Sandlin's 'outstanding' outing highlights bounce-back week for Sooners, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. You would never understand the suffering of people so long ago without the history. Unfortunately, his younger sister Ellen passed away a few years ago. [4], Turner was part of three of those championships when the Eagles won the title in 1986, 1988, and 1989. Turner's aunt was pitching in with the kids, while Olivieri was doing all he could for Vernon financially, but eventually his aunt informed him she could no longer support the family. Its possible to retrieve genetic material from protein that could still exist in an old skull, such as in the dentin of a tooth. these days -- but once upon a time he was navigating one of the most difficult upbringings imaginable. Turner's football memories stretch back to his Pop Warner League games at Clove Lakes Park and a youth coach, Bill Thatcher, who had the wisdom to reach out to the youngster's family and encourage Turner's athletic abilities. He knew at that point, he had to jump higher than 7-6 anyway, to win. How did the skull of a man born into slavery in Virginia wind up in Gary, Indiana? He has been credited as a progenitor of jump blues and of early rock and roll. When Turner reached high school, he faced more challenges. But once I decided to turn pro and I knew what the odds were against me making it, I went into training mode.. He knew at that point, he had to jump higher than 7-6 anyway, to win. Its my life and I know what happened in it, but to read a script of that caliber brought me to tears. It was just trying to figure out how to get back where I was. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? OU vs. IUPUI women's basketball:Five things to know about the Sooners' first-round opponent, I had a lot going on outside track, Turner said. Though Vernon's youth playing career was taking off, he was still busy managing his brothers and sisters -- often loading them up onto the city bus so he could bring them along with him to practice. He won the Big 12 Indoor High Jump title last month. Mini Bio (1) * Vernon M. Turner was born January 6th 1967, in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. That gave him a chance to focus on school, and he soon realized he didn't like the direction his academics were heading. Let's talk about the whole snake video while I have lunch and you enjoy breakfast. But thanks to extraordinary circumstances a family seeking truth and science that can reach beyond the grave an ongoing forensic analysis may finally provide an answer. Thats something I really need to do for myself.. Here we go again! Harvard Universitys David Reich Lab is also assisting in the identification of the skull. During his one season in Buffalo, Turner gave one-hundred percent in practice, so much so that some of his teammates would tell him to ease up, that it wasnt game time. Turner would turn to them and reply, It is for me. He couldnt afford to take it halfway or lose his job. Many facts, such as the precise number of people who died in the insurrection and subsequent reprisals, will never be known. And the Smithsonian scientists arent saying what theyve found so far. Turner's mother Jackie finally succumbed to her addiction during his freshman year -- though football kept Vernon going and his only two goals from that point forward were to play ball and keep his family together. Lyndsey D'Arcangelo writes about women's college basketball and the WNBA for The Athletic and Just Women's Sports. And while he was there, he figured hed learn as much as he could from some of the best players in the league. How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? The local militia quelled the uprising within 48 hours, but Turner managed to elude his pursuers. Returned to OU. "I witnessed one of the best players on the planet and I wanted to be just like him. During the process, Turner was writing letters to Walter Payton, who responded with some of his own workout regimens. If everything comes together and Im as strong, maybe even take a shot at the world record, Turner said, referring to Javier Sotomayors 8-0, set 29 years ago. 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