Completed: 26. Go to Gerry Bertier’s Gravesite
By now, you should know I like to visit cemeteries. In this case, I wanted to pay my respects to Gerry Bertier, member of the 1971 TC Williams Virginia State Championship football team. The story surrounding that football team was later made into the movie, “Remember the Titans.”
This movie just happens to be one of my favorite movies of all time. If you haven’t seen the movie, I suggest you run… don’t walk… to a store and buy the movie.
*Spoiler alert* Gerry gets into a bad car crash and lives the rest of his life paralyzed from the waist down.
After watching the film (about 50 times), I did a little research on him (as well as the rest of his teammates, many of whom are still in Virginia). I learned that Gerry participated in the Paralympics and won multiple medals. He spent the rest of his life trying to help people with disabilities. But Gerry’s life was cut short. He was ulitmately killed in a car crash by a drunk driver.
It’s such a shame that his life ended early because of yet another accident, but his impact is still felt today through his foundation called, “Gerry Bertier #42 Foundation,” started by his sister to help people who suffer from severe spinal cord injuries.
Thank you, Gerry Bertier.
-Kris
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