His legacy is complex diminished in death to ornaments, and lauded then and now as a freedom fighter. Turner probes deep into his soul, however, to reveal other secrets. Turner referred to his journey as being both "amazing" and "head-scratching". I had to convince my aunt to move into our house while I was away at [Carson-Newman] college. Decades ago in Southampton, few people brought up the insurrection in racially mixed company. Just being out of the rhythm of competition has really messed with me, Turner said. He decided to transfer and landed at Arkansas. Maybe 7-11. And thats exactly what he did. However, if you listen closely, you just might find him with one of the many instruments he knows how to play. These guys helped me mold myself into a professional athlete. NORMAN Vernon Turner has heard all the rumors that floated around about him. Bruce Turner, a Virginia Beach resident and a great-great-great-great-grandson of Nat Turner, is not convinced its his. After a three-year stint in NFL Europe, Turner retired in 1998. 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. Its a moment he says he wishes he would have appreciated more going from undrafted to being a part of a Super Bowl team, soaking in all the sights and the sounds, and getting a hug from the likes of Whitney Houston. Turner was born the property of a prosperous small-plantation owner in a remote area of Virginia. tells the inspiring story of how the now 44-year-old Turner moved as a young child from the mean streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant to a quiet neighborhood in Sunnyside, where he discovered a love for. The exit to Arkansas. Sam, his stepfather, had passed away due to health complications -- leaving four young children behind while Vernon was all the way in Tennessee. He was on the rebound. "You're frustrated because you've been a parent to your younger brothers and sisters since you were a little kid yourselfcooking dinner, changing diapers, braiding hair -- things a mom is supposed to dobut she's always too "sick," wrote Turner in his letter. Turner was an educated minister. * He received a full athletic scholarship to Carson-Newman College from 1986-1989 where I was named . 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. PUBLISHED 1:25 PM ET Oct. 15, 2021. In 2010, Turner released his self-published autobiography "The Next Level: A Game I Had To Play" and is currently working on a followup self-help book. With no money to his name, Turner once again sought out Olivieri -- seeking help to try out for the NFL. [3] In November 2011, Curtis High School inducted him into its Hall of Fame. But this time, Turner stayed mentally strong. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. I dont know if I was burned out. In honor of Black History Month, Abandoned Country is republishing the following article, which originally appeared in The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press on August 21, 2021 as Its been 190 years since Nat Turners Rebellion. My mom died when I was a sophomore in high school. I will never, ever be able to pay back the Buffalo Bills for what they did for me, Turner confesses. That gave him the confidence to believe in what theyre doing right now.. Turner speaks glowingly of his relationship with a few of his NFL coaches, including Marv Levy, John Robinson and Sam Wyche. "The Next Level: A Game I Had To Play!" It received such incredible feedback that Derek Jeter flew Turner to New York City to meet with him personally. The first was decent but didnt clear. That night, he unveiled what would be the museums centerpiece: the skull of Nat Turner. ", Most of all, Turner wants to represent his three children - Ashley (30), Darris (29), and Liam (5) - the "right way. Langley recruited Turner out of Yukon and stayed with the program even after a head-coaching change, which helped persuade Turner to return to Norman. 0:04. When Turner was 6, an Italian-American customer of his mother's asked her to marry him and she accepted. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Vernon Turner (born January 6, 1967) [1] is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back, wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL) and NFL Europe League (NFLE) for eight seasons during the 1990s. One hundred ninety years is a lot of time for a case to grow cold. I know I can be one of the best high jumpers in the world, Turner said. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. No less certain is the fate of Turners skull. My father typed a letter that he kept in the box with the relic just in case anything unexpected happened to our family. Because I'm you, from the future. But once I decided to turn pro and I knew what the odds were against me making it, I went into training mode.. At 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, Turner was severely undersized, but he posted solid preseason numbersup until the final game. He was training, improving, growing. [7] That year, Turner ran for 869 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also returned 10 kickoffs for 263 yards, including one for 73 yards. 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. Cousins and two of Turners great-great-great-great-great-granddaughters, Shanna Batten Aguirre and Shelly Lucas Wood, took possession of the skull and turned it over to a team led by Douglas Owsley at the National Museum of Natural History for forensic analysis. In 1892, The Roanoke Record said a city physician had a razor strap made from Turners skin: The strap is a plain affair, glued to a wooden back, and has evidently seen service although it is by no means worn out.. Even if it cannot be proved to be Reverend Turners skull, she said, I dont think that diminishes the relevance and its symbolic importance.. People were talking about what Turner might do as a Sooner and maybe one day as an Olympian. He felt he was being pushed away from classes he wanted to take, and being interested in sciences, he didn't feel comfortable with that. Or it may just add another wrinkle. I dont think I ever had a fear of not getting back where I was. With all he's accomplished and overcome, Turner travels as a motivational speaker these days. "I was an "oh yeah?" A DNA test will determine if this is actually the skull of the Virginia slave rebellion leader. Now, as for those things he learned about himself at meets this season from people whod heard rumors? Its about time, Turner said. His numerous descendants have fanned out from a rural pocket of Tidewater. Turner said that hes learned to focus on himself. Phootgraph by Rebecca Hale and Mark Thiessen, National Geographic, Photograph by Jed Winer, National Geographic, Illustration by ullstein bild/ullstein bild/Getty, One of Earth's loneliest volcanoes holds an extraordinary secret. "The physicality of football allowed me to get my frustrations outI played so hard I'd be too tired to be upset.". Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? But they also must be 100 percent mentally consumed. A goal is to have an accompanying interactive smartphone app to assist where the history has been erased. Aguirre, the Turner descendant from Washington, expressed strong interest in contacting Hatcher to see if hed be amenable to returning the skull to Virginia for a proper burial. I wouldnt put anything past him, Langford said. The very next day, the Buffalo Bills came calling while Vernon was at the dinner table with his family. Vernon Turner tells all in his recently-published autobiography. One head scratcher after another. American JuVaughn Harrison also has cleared 7-7. The filmmakers arranged the call. An 1831 woodcut depicted Nat Turner's insurrection. Heres why each season begins twice. He knew at that point, he had to jump higher than 7-6 anyway, to win. "He told me to have something to fall back on and I loved that coach," acknowledged Turner, who chose not to share the coach's name. Just the players I came across and learned from Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Cornelius Bennett, Daryl Talley, Bruce Smith, Don Beebe. Many stories have circulated about the fate of Turners remains after his hanging. Vernon Turner hasnt always called North Carolina home, though. 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. But Blakey cautions that scientific analysis should not stand alone. [1] Among those killed were Hayes and Mary Turner. Bob Franklin made many attempts to find a fitting home for the heirloom, including offering it to the Smithsonian Institution. I dont think my goals ever wandered, Turner said. Despite all his success, Vernon didn't want to hear it. Turner, a junior, is the first NCAA Indoor High Jump champion in Oklahoma history. I think hes in a much better spot mentally than he was a couple of months ago or a year ago. In 1831, during a slave rebellion led by Nat Turner, several people were killed at the site of the Whitehead house. Turner's defining moment comes in Tampa Bay, when he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown -- the first regular-season punt return for a TD in Buccaneer history. Turner, a phenom when he was coming out of Yukon High School and when he jumped 7 feet, 7 inches as a Sooner freshman, had become a mystery. Even though hes not back on the trajectory he had as a freshman, Turner still has lofty goals. Its still funny hearing some of the stories.. Its one thing to read your life story in a book, he says, but when they reincarnate that into a movie with real people playing parts and portraying you, its surreal., Turner retired from football two decades ago, after six years in the NFL as a receiver and running back, and a short stint in NFL Europe. A sign erected by Turner descendants to acknowledge the places where he concealed himself while hiding from authorities has been repeatedly riddled with gunshots. "I found a 10-pound weight in the weight room, unlaced my shoe, and tied it around my waist under my pants on weigh-in day.". He made a rare trip to Staten Island last summer, visiting his own exhibit at the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame. And I had an okay college career, Turner says. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, 3 ways Jimmy Carter changed the world for the better, The meaning of the cross of ashes on Ash Wednesday, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. 1. Legendary Curtis coach Fred Olivieri knew exactly what Vernon had done -- and an eternal bond between player and coach was born. It tells the extraordinary saga of the officers and crew of the Wager, a . "He took a special interest in me not only as an athlete, but also as a human being," wrote Turner of Olivieri. Offering it to the Smithsonian Institution 1 ] Among those killed were Hayes and Mary Turner instruments... 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