John Pell

John Pell grew up in Pahokee, FL, back in the 1950s. He went to school barefoot with the hem of his jeans rolled. Every day, he milked the cow and chopped firewood, taking turns with his brothers, before breakfast and dinner. John was full of fun. One day while his mother hosted bridge club, he quietly brought his goat Gruffo around to surprise everyone. He gave nicknames to all six of his siblings, the best of which went to his baby sister, Kathy, born in the 60s—The Punk!

 

John loved football, rightly so, as his father was the football coach and athletic director. Pahokee didn’t have little league football, but he got plenty of experience playing with friends in the park and joining the junior high school team. As John was small, he stayed back a year in the seventh grade to give him a little growth advantage. In high school, John played quarterback. Football was so rough against rival teams that he finished more than one game with a clawed face and vomiting until he had to go to the emergency room.

While at Pahokee Junior-Senior High School, John took part in many sports. Although mostly known for football, he was great at basketball too. A teammate once said John’s set shot was a performance, practiced to perfection. John would sink down, knees bent, ball in front of his nose, and then explode upward in one fluid motion, hands splayed over his head like butterfly wings. The ball would sail towards the rafters, and of course would go in, usually all net. It was always quite a show.

Along with sports, John was an avid boy scout who went on incredible camping and fishing trips. He also worked on weekends and holidays with a local carpenter through high school and college breaks.

John played defensive back at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO). He received All-American Honors while at NEO and still holds a record of 18 interceptions in 20 games from 1966-1967. He went on to play at Florida State (FSU) as a cornerback. His teammates awarded him the Page trophy for his personifying spirit of Michael Page. John was noted for his tremendous speed, courage, and pinpoint passing. In 1968, he participated in the first annual Peach Bowl. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971.

For a short time after college, John went on to play professional and semi-pro football in Canada with the Ottawa Rough Riders and Orlando Panthers. He remained small (6’1” and 183 lbs.) and by the end of his career, had suffered at least 31 concussions he could recall. His worst concussion was at NEO during practice. A teammate knocked him out cold, and he woke up 30 minutes later on the locker room shower floor.

John started his career in the Florida Keys teaching industrial arts and coaching at Plantation Key High School. Before long, he found real estate more lucrative. He became a real estate broker, opening his own firm and turning it into a successful business. He earned two Commercial-Investment Real Estate Council Certificates, one for “Fundamentals of Real Estate Investment and Taxation” and the other for “Fundamentals of Location and Market Analysis.”

His work attire consisted of tennis shorts and shoes. The nearby Cheeca Lodge called John anytime they had a guest looking for a tennis partner. He loved the game and played anytime he wasn’t working or on the beautiful blue water. While crossing the bridge near his office, he once told his son, Clay, “Roll down your window. Take a good look. Always remember, THIS IS LIVING!”

 

He loved being a father and grandfather. His children, Johnna Juarez, Clay Pell, and John David Pell, found him to be a great mentor, giving them sound and unbiased advice—always there to listen. He encouraged sports and attended as many of his children’s games as possible. His sense of humor transferred through the family. The grandkids called him “Geez”, short for old geezer. When he phoned the kids, he always announced, “It’s the Old Man.”

 

After many good years in real estate, he and his wife Roseanne moved to Okeechobee, Florida, to be closer to his aging parents. John and Rosanne built a home on beautiful, wooded-acreage in Bassinger, north of Okeechobee. He continued selling real estate and playing tennis while raising a few cows and riding his beloved cracker horses.

Around the age of 66, John began noticing a physical change. Three years later, he was diagnosed with Neocortical Lewy Body Disease. John’s walk became a shuffle, his dexterity and cognitive functions worsened, and hallucinations began. He had panic attacks, but with an antidepressant was able to control his anxiety. Mentally, he was declining and needing more care. John started having seizures which caused many falls and debilitated him. After a brief hospitalization, he went to a rehab facility. His seizures were more frequent, he was not cognitive, and lost his appetite. Less than two months later, John passed away at the age of 75.

John’s wish was to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank. Upon study, researchers found many medical conditions, including:

Stage 3 (of 4) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
Neocortical Lewy Body Disease
Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE), Stage 2
Vascular disease

While John had many reasons to complain, he never did. He remained a loving, caring husband, father, and brother to the end. John was honorable and trustworthy in his personal and business life. His gentleness, kindness, and humor were evident even in the hospital and rehab.

His injuries never dampened his spirit and love of football. He believed football taught him the importance of team building, tenacity, and to always give your best.

The Pell family feels blessed to have had the opportunity to work with the wonderful staff at the Concussion Legacy Foundation and cannot thank them enough for all their help.

 

Eric Pelly

 

Eric was full of energy…an energy that propelled him and drew others to him. He had a gleam in his eyes, a smile on his face and a loud contagious laugh. Eric was fun; he brought life and laughter to any occasion. His passion for sports was evident from the time he was a young boy. Eric began playing in-line hockey at 6-years-old. Initially he played goalie, then the coach suggested that he play on the line because he was fast and a strong skater. Eric played on numerous hockey and tournament teams.

By Joan Pelly

Eric was full of energy…an energy that propelled him and drew others to him. He had a gleam in his eyes, a smile on his face and a loud contagious laugh. Eric was fun; he brought life and laughter to any occasion.

His passion for sports was evident from the time he was a young boy. Eric began playing in-line hockey at 6-years-old. Initially he played goalie, then the coach suggested that he play on the line because he was fast and a strong skater. Eric played on numerous hockey and tournament teams.

When Eric was 12-years-old, he wrote: “My favorite two sports are hockey and football. I like them because you get a lot of action. I’ve played hockey for six years and am getting tired of it. This year I finally convinced my parents to let me play football. I love football because you get even more action than hockey.”

Due to the summer time commitment, Eric decided not to play football in his junior year of high school. When the season rolled around he said “mom it’s killing me to not be on the field playing.” That’s when he became the self -appointed mascot and crowd instigator at the high school football games. He slathered his body with black and gold paint (his school colors) and draped himself with a black and gold stuffed snake. He could stir up a crowd (in a positive way)!

While always remaining active in hockey, Eric tried many other sports along the way. He swam, played baseball, soccer, basketball, track and cross country, volleyball, and football then found that he loved playing rugby.

Eric started playing rugby on the high school team but was quickly moved to the adult semi-pro team due to his passion for the game, intensity and speed. The physicality, the contact was one thing but there was something about the connection these guys had. After each home rugby match, the team would invite the opposing team to stay and join them for a cookout or pig roast at their clubhouse. They would gather there to watch the Steelers football games and the Penguins hockey games. The guys pitched in and worked to keep their field in pristine condition and the club house clean. Eric enjoyed that camaraderie.

Eric also enjoyed bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, water skiing, wake boarding, scuba diving, windsurfing, and four wheeling in a jeep wrangler. As you can see, he was active and adventurous.

While Eric had that intense love for sports, he also had a passion for life. Family and friends meant a lot to Eric. Whatever anyone needed, Eric was ready and willing to lend a hand. He also cared deeply and was an intent listener; he had a way of making everyone feel that what they had to say was important and interesting. Eric was the son, brother, grandson, nephew, and friend that everyone loved to spend time with. He was the life of the party and always had an entertaining story or two to tell.

Faith was a huge part of who Eric was. Eric was an altar boy when he was younger, when he was a junior in high school he decided to teach 4th grade CCD (religious education). Eric managed to pack a lot into his days; he excelled academically, volunteered, and worked part time at the family business, all while playing on multiple sports teams and enjoying time with family and friends. He had a strong drive for success and passion for life itself. Anyone that knew him had no doubt that Eric could accomplish anything he set out to do.

The intensity with which Eric played sports resulted in three documented concussions; one each year for three consecutive years. The first one (in his sophomore year) playing football for his school team, the second one (in his junior year) from a pick up football game with friends and the third one (in his senior year) while playing rugby for the Pittsburgh Harlequins. That concussion received on September 30th 2006 during a rugby match was different than the others. Eric collapsed on the sidelines holding his head and groaning in pain. He was rushed to the hospital and remained there for two days. On the third day he was released and the only restriction he was given was “no contact sports for 3 months”. At that point, Eric asked if he could run and lift weights so he didn’t get out of shape. He was told that would be okay.

Eric was concerned about getting behind in his school work and pushed himself to go to school and get caught up on missed assignments. He was tired and had headaches but continued to do a little more each day. When I asked him how he was feeling and if he felt a little better each day, he said “yes.” He was released from the hospital on a Monday; one week later he went to the school’s work-out facility with a friend to lift weights.

Ten days after Eric’s rugby concussion and seven days after his release from the hospital…the day after he lifted weights…as we sat down to our family dinner and said our prayers, suddenly the unthinkable happened. Eric’s body stiffened with clenched fists, his eyes rolled back in his head and Eric collapsed with horrible sounds coming from his airway. We immediately called 911 and performed CPR until help arrived. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Eric’s brain had swollen and herniated, cutting off his breathing and heart rate.

We have since learned that Eric had sustained a head injury on September 16, 2006, just two weeks prior to the severe concussion on September 30, 2006. Eric was 18-years-old; he had recently been moved from the high school team to the adult semi-pro team. The team was driving from Pittsburgh, Pa. to Baltimore, Md. to play a match and return home that night. As I was making plans to go, Eric convinced me that I should stay home and spend the day with his younger sister. He said, “Mom, I’ll be fine, and I’m concerned about Jenna having to spend so much time at my games; spend the day doing something fun with Jenna.”

I understood what he was saying and I also understood that he was on the adult team and wanted to go with the guys. He was no longer playing on a high school team and nobody else’s mom was going to drive to Baltimore for the match. He wanted me to give him that freedom. As a mom that always worried about injuries, that was difficult for me, but I relented.

When Eric got home that evening, he was tired. He sat in the family room with us for a brief time and said he was exhausted, was going to shower and go to bed. Considering they had driven four and a half hours, played a physical match and drove another four and a half hours home, it made complete sense that he was ready to call it a day.

We were unaware that Eric had been removed from a rugby match ( just 2 weeks prior to the devastating head injury he sustained on September 30th) after a hard hit and was given ice to apply to his head on the sidelines. Eric did not tell us about that incident. It was only after his death that teammates told us about that head injury; they said, “Eric was out of it and slept the whole way home.”

Eric loved life, and I’m sure he never thought he could die from complications of a concussion nor did we (his parents). Knowing what we know now, he most certainly had other undiagnosed concussions and too many sub-concussive blows to the head to count: slamming into the boards in hockey, running full tilt into a block wall in basketball so that he could backhand the ball to a teammate keeping it in play, etc. Eric was very competitive; he was intense and aggressive in every sport or activity he participated in.

Learning that Eric’s brain showed signs of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), deposits of abnormal, toxic protein, called tau) was shocking. For years we had enjoyed watching Eric give it his all as he competed in sports. He had so such passion and drive; it was fun to watch him. Eric thrived on the competition. Although I was always concerned about injuries, I didn’t know that damage could have been accumulating in Eric’s brain. All of the times that Eric accelerated and stopped quickly, his brain was hitting against the skull of his head.

I urge parents, coaches and players to become educated about concussions and sub-concussive head injuries. Never, never, never, let an athlete return to play with a brain injury that is not completely healed. No game is worth it. Emphasize this with your sons and daughters. It’s not “just a concussion”. They must understand that every head injury is serious and requires both physical and mental rest. The brain needs time to heal.

I am not trying to dissuade children from participating in sports. Playing sports has many advantages: physical fitness, confidence, learning to work hard, sportsmanship, trust and working together with teammates. All of these produce more than victories on the field-these skills are tools used in everyday life. I am promoting safer play, receiving proper care in the event of a concussion and gradual return to play when completely symptom free.

Information about concussions is much more readily available today than prior to Eric’s death. I am pleased to see all that Dr. Cantu, Chris Nowinski, Dr. Ann McKee, Dr. Robert Stern and the Concussion Legacy Foundation are doing to get the information out. Dr. Cantu’s book lists excellent questions to ask athletes following a hit or jarring of the brain.

You can read more about Eric’s story in “Concussed” by Keith Primeau and Kerry Goulet. Keith and Kerry were both professional hockey players who formed stopconcussions.com after retiring due to concussions. They work tirelessly to educate athletes, coaches and parents about concussions, emphasizing safe play and respect for oneself and the opponent, along with proper management of concussive head injuries.

It is important to our family to do everything we can to prevent a tragedy such as Eric’s from happening to anyone else. Each year, our family hosts an event to raise awareness and increase knowledge about concussive head injuries. It started as a basketball game among Eric’s friends and the teachers at his high school and has progressed to a basketball tournament with community involvement. Last year we had 34 teams compete. Kerry Goulet from stopconcussions.com captivated the attention of students, teachers, and parents with his entertaining way of delivering a very serious message.

On October 10, 2012, the 6th anniversary of Eric’s death, we showed Chris Nowinski’s “Head Games” documentary at the Harris Theater in Pittsburgh. That evening, a teacher/coach that has played in the Eric Pelly Memorial Basketball Game stated that because of what she had learned during our event, she had stood her ground and refused to allow a girl to return to a basketball game (after hitting her head) against all the resistance she received. Later that evening, the girl had a seizure and was hospitalized. Not allowing that girl to return to the game may have saved her life. It is with great pride that I say, collectively, we are making a difference.

For more on Eric’s story, read an article by MTV News here.

To learn more, please visit Eric’s website here.

Toby Brundage III

Toby devoted much of his college time and energy to playing football. As All-Ivy center he was a “Beast” on the field and a Teddy Bear all other times. While at Harvard he was named to the Epson Ivy Bowl team where Ivy-league all-stars compete against top Japanese players. He loved getting together with his Harvard friends and teammates and appreciated Coach Joe Restic’s philosophy: “to make gentlemen and good men out of his players.” Toby’s teammates awarded him the Joseph E. Wolf Award. Toby is a 1991 graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL, graduating with honors. Toby’s essence was charm, integrity and kindness; he was always ready to treat his friends and family and take care of others. His smile and wit would light up a room. Family and traditions were important to him as seen in his close relationship with his Nana who lovingly shared her stories of yesteryear and her famous home-baked goodies. Together they shower us with their devoted love from above. He was a longtime member of the Lago Mar Country Club in Plantation, FL where he honed his golf skills to a 3 handicap. He also appreciated and collected fine cars and participated in the sport of car racing.

After his death, Toby’s brain was studied at the UNITE Brain Bank. Researchers there diagnosed him with Stage 2 (of 4) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

Benny Perrin

Obituary for Jesse Bennett “Benny” Perrin

Jesse Bennett “Benny” Perrin was born October 20, 1959, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange County, CA, to Joe and Barbara Perrin. Benny was the younger of two sons. He was 18 months younger than his brother, Braxton Perrin. When Benny was in elementary school, Joe’s retirement from the military landed the Perrins in Decatur, AL. Benny found his love for sports at The Boy’s Club. He attended Decatur High School, where he stole the stage with his extraordinary talents in baseball, basketball, and football. He was a quarterback and defensive back for the late coach, Earl Webb, at Decatur. He earned High School All-American and All-State Honors in football in 1976 and 1977. Decatur made the Class 4A State Semifinals in football in his junior and senior years. Decatur went 20-5 in Benny’s two years as starting quarterback. He was named All-State in baseball and basketball in 1977 and 1978. He was a starting guard for the basketball team in 1977 – 1978 season. That year, Decatur made it to the semifinals in the class 4A State Tournaments under Coach Earl Morris. He also started at shortstop for Decatur’s baseball team for four years.

After high school, Benny played football and baseball at The University of Alabama. He had the honor of playing under the legendary Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant from 1978 – 1981. Benny’s two interceptions against Auburn in 1981 helped the “Bear” reach his 315th record-breaking win. He was Defensive Player of the Year for Alabama, and played in the 1982 Senior Bowl. During this time, Benny had to ask permission from Coach Bryant to marry his high school sweetheart, Debbie Morris Halbrooks.

Perrin was drafted in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, and played four seasons in the league. He was the first player to win Defensive Player of the Week in his first ever start as a rookie. In addition, he was an alternate to the 1982 Pro Bowl. He played in 48 games, had 9 interceptions, and 1 touchdown. He was Defensive Captain as a rookie, and had numerous game balls. After a routine physical detected a cervical fracture, Benny was forced to retire from the NFL.

The Perrins then returned to Decatur and opened BB Perrins BBQ. They gave birth to three wonderful children, Jesse (Anna Marie), Mary Caitlin Brown (Alex), and Sara Beth. On February 2, 2007, Benny married his wife, Courtney. The have had 10 years of marriage and a lifetime of memories together. He was fortunate to experience the birth of his first grandson, Brooks Bennett Perrin, on July 4, 2016. Benny spent his free time assisting his son, Jesse, coaching freshmen and JV baseball for the Hartselle Tigers. Coaching was a passion he loved dearly. More than anything else, Benny enjoyed spending time with his family. They were his love and his priority.

Benny’s success from football didn’t come without a price. Throughout his football career he suffered several concussions. The past few years he silently fought a battle he ultimately could not overcome, although he tried with all his might. Benny suffered from chronic migraines, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia that he could not escape. His family witnessed his mental health declining. Despite seeking medical help, Benny took his own life on February 3, 2017. Our family is determined that neither his pain, nor his death will not be in vain. We will fight to shed light on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and the effects of multiple concussions on the brain. It is for this reason, the family requests that, in lieu of flowers, monetary donations be made to the Sports Legacy Institute. Donate online by visiting https://trusted.bu.edu/s/1759/2-bu/giving or write checks to: “Trustees of Boston University” with “BU CTE Center” in the memo line, and mail to: Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord ST, L-219, Boston, MA 02118.

Benny had a relationship with Jesus Christ, and because of that we know that we will see him again. We want to encourage everyone to continue his legacy by loving, serving, and caring for others the way he always did. Please join us on Sunday, February 12, 2017, at 5:23 p.m. at Epic Church to celebrate the life of our hero, our number 23!

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