Jim, you now have my life in the palm of your hands!". In fact, Olivieri spent so much time helping Turner that it prompted his wife to ask why. He travels around the country to talk about his personal journey, with hopes of inspiring people in the process. 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.. Hayes was killed on May 18, and the next day (May 19), his . The second option wasnt even on the table. Curators are realizing that returning looted artifacts isnt closing museumsits opening new doors. Many of them had been alive during the attacks. 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. Here we go again! 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. In a very tangible way, it asserts the humanity of people who were systemically dehumanized. "I was so grateful, to do it against the Bills who cut me the year beforeit was the exclamation point on an unbelievable journey.". I was 160-something pounds. "That was the second time my life changed," noted Turner. Drewry said a local doctor took possession of his skeleton. This memoir is a brutally honest and inspiring look back on the life of one of Staten Island's greatest football heroes. Vernon regularly visits schools to talk to kids about severe weather safety and preparedness. Despite all his success, Vernon didn't want to hear it. There are multiple theories about where it ended up, but one skull believed to be his is now in a laboratory at the Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., after a bizarre detour through Gary, Indiana. Citing 1999s Hurricane Floyd as a pivotal event in sparking this interest, Vernon has always had an appreciation for informative reporting prior to a storm. His deeds have proven to be an enduring episode that still stirs emotion. I dont think my goals ever wandered, Turner said. 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. 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. But deep inside he felt that Turners remains should be reunited with his descendants. Just being out of the rhythm of competition has really messed with me, Turner said. He piled up 1,257 yards during the 1988 season, capturing championship game MVP honors -- Turner finished his career fourth in school history in rushing yards. 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. After two months he was captured and tried, and on November 11 he was hanged from a tree in the town of Jerusalem, now Courtland, Virginia. Bruce Turner said many people sympathized with his ancestors motivations. "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.". "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. A DNA test will determine if this is actually the skull of the Virginia slave rebellion leader. After two months as a fugitive, Turner was captured, tried, and hanged. Whether any of these morbid relicswas actually once part of Nat Turner may never be known. In 1831, during a slave rebellion led by Nat Turner, several people were killed at the site of the Whitehead house. Update: October 13, 1:45 p.m. The family has temporarily given the skull to the Smithsonian Institution, which will conduct a DNA test to determine if it is, in fact, Turner's. 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. It becomes clear that despite her lifestyle, Turner's mother played a pivotal role in his development with some real "tough-love." Even when I reflect back on how things started and where they went, I still scratch my head. * He received a full athletic scholarship to Carson-Newman College from 1986-1989 where I was named . Hes got that confidence in himself. Big Joe Turner, byname of Joseph Vernon Turner, (born May 18, 1911, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.died November 24, 1985, Inglewood, California), American blues singer, or "shouter," whose music included jazz, rhythm and blues, and boogie-woogie. Cant seem to pull it together at the Trials. But its happening. "I was an "oh yeah?" Comparing that to DNA of descendants should be able to provide an answer, and can typically be done within months. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. In 1949, a man who lives in Southampton County today saw a change purse with a label claiming it was made from Turners skin. Explore a billion-year-old volcanic mystery on Lake Superior, A journey of the senses through Abu Dhabi, These Lake Superior islands are no place for amateurs. #NCwx @SpecNews1RDU @SpecNews1ILM GIF 1 Meteorologist Vernon Turner Alarm spread through the countryside, and the rebels lost the element of surprise. What if we could clean them out? In the 185 years that followed the rebellion, Turner's place in history . But it is of immeasurable value because it is a poignant reminder of the price of freedom. The cultural and historical documentation, even if its oral, is likely to be qualitatively more reliable than genetics, he said. He ended up writing a letter to his younger self for the Players Tribune, recounting significant moments in his life that set him on a rollercoaster course to the NFL. Decades ago in Southampton, few people brought up the insurrection in racially mixed company. Thats not to say the past should be forgotten. ): 3 (12284th overall since 1960) High School: Curtis ( NY ) Twitter: @VernonMTurner 86 82 30 44 45 30 23 SUMMARY Career G 54 AV 3 Rt 134 Yds 2626 TD 0 Vernon Turner Overview Game Logs Brutal mysteries remain unsolved.. Once Turner got back to OU, they realized his ankle was going to need serious rehabilitation. 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. Follow Lyndsey on Twitter @darcangel21, Turner and Jim Kelly at Super Bowl 25 press day in 1990. He did not compete last season, and the story behind his year away is both complicated and convoluted. Turner was born the property of a prosperous small-plantation owner in a remote area of Virginia. New AI may pass the famed Turing test. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Whats more, theres evidence that the brain was removed from this skull forcefully, consistent with mutilation. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. He also makes it clear he didn't care for Wayne Fontes during his time with the Detroit Lions. Some remember him as a fanatical killer, others as a freedom fighter inspired by his faith. Shanna Batten Aguirre, a descendant of Nat Turner, holds a box containing what some believe is Turner's skull. Even outside of track, I feel like it taught me things about myself, he said. Hes also the unofficial keeper of the countys insurrection memorabilia and documents, such as Nat Turners original sentencing orders. Unfortunately, his younger sister Ellen passed away a few years ago. The nagging ankle injury that still hurts from time to time. But he has no regrets about his decision to transfer. Now, as for those things he learned about himself at meets this season from people whod heard rumors? In many ways, Turner's life story is one of redemption. Its not hard to find Southampton residents who refuse to speak to strangers about the event. From pioneering the use of solar energy to helping to eradicating disease, here are just a few ways the 39th U.S. president has made the world a better place. I had two options: leave school and take care of them, or stay and theyd have to go into foster care. Owsley confirmed that the institution retains possession of the skull but did not offer details on the progress of the forensic analysis or an estimated date of completion. Michael Blakey is director of William & Marys Institute for Historical Biology. Then Turner won the Big 12 Indoor in late February with a leap of 7-3. "But that translated to me as he's telling me you don't have a chance. Craniopagus twins, joined at the head, are a rarity one in 2.5 million. And one day, sitting in his dorm room with his head hung low, Turner looked up at the television. [8] The New York native finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history with 569 rushing attempts, and fourth with 2,851 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns.[5]. He didn't quit, but he continued to struggle with his own self-esteem throughout his youth. I had decent stats. But available evidence strongly suggests that this sordid tale had a gruesome appendix, and there began the mystery of what happened to Nat Turners body, and whether part of it now resides in a lab of the Smithsonian Institution. They discussed the movie project and soon Relentless was off and running. (Matt McClain . And I had an okay college career, Turner says. After the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2018, Turner says he was told his scholarship would be increased to a hundred percent. Brutal mysteries remain unsolved., Archaeology of Virginia; The Uncovered Secrets, Pamplin City; The Ghost of a Railroad Boomtown, Abandoned Slavery Museum; The Forgotten Remains, Travel-Buffalo Springs a Historic Site in Mecklenburg County Virginia | Kathiey's World A Lifestyle Blog, Wash Woods; A Community Beholden to the Merciless Atlanic, An Idle Fleet Receding; The Ghost Fleet of the James River. Unauthorized use is prohibited. [7] That year, Turner ran for 869 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also returned 10 kickoffs for 263 yards, including one for 73 yards. "No one will ever understand the pain and regret I have inside due to my past things that will haunt me until the day I die. In 1831, after receiving what he believed to be prophecies from God, Nat Turner led the bloodiest slave revolt in American history. He said that his team is taking great care with the identification of the skull and that the sophisticated techniques theyre employing take time. Other than the Rebecca Vaughn House in Courtland, the homes associated with the rebellion have been neglected, nearly all fallen into ruin. To hear Turner tell his life story is an experience in and of itself. A different skull, also reputed to be Nat Turners, was displayed and labeled as such at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, from about 1866 until sometime in the 20th century, surviving a catastrophic fire in 1901. Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, A journey of the senses through Abu Dhabi, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. And on the subject of Nat Turners skull, the historical record offers no straightforward answers. [6] His performance earned him offensive player of the game honors. I became obsessed, forgot about boxing, all I cared about was footballand that's how my career started. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Because I'm you, from the future. Those were the questions floating around in the no-excuse world of track and field. He was released before the end of the preseason. Vernon Maurice Turner Position: WR-RB 5-8 , 185lb (173cm, 83kg) Born: January 6 in Brooklyn, NY (Age: 56-025d) College: Carson-Newman Weighted Career AV (100-95-. And all the while he kept his family situation to himself he says no one in college or the NFL knew. When Vernon Turner ran 80 yards to the end zone on a punt return in 1994, he broke an infamous drought in Bucs history and also validated his own life-or-death journey to make it in the NFL These guys helped me mold myself into a professional athlete. [4], Turner was part of three of those championships when the Eagles won the title in 1986, 1988, and 1989. You see it slowly approaching and all you can do in the meantime is prepare and figure out how strong it will be once it arrives. Disappearing history and the natural world reclaiming it, Nat Turners Skull; A Grisly Mystery Nearly Two Centuries in the Making, Forgotten Asylums; A Solemn History of Mental Health, Its been 190 years since Nat Turners Rebellion. So Turner doubled down. Krista and Tatiana Hogan were born October 25, 2006, in Vancouver, B.C. He put on fifteen pounds of muscle and dropped his 40-yard dash time down from 4.5 to 4.3. Turner had two jumps at 7-7. The administrators family had kept it in a closet for decades. Then going into my senior year, my aunt called and said she couldnt take care of my brothers and sisters anymore. The exit to Arkansas. Multiple sources say his head was separated from the rest of his body, which was skinned. The electrifying play was made even sweeter because it came against the Detroit Lions, coached by Fontes. 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. That night, he unveiled what would be the museums centerpiece: the skull of Nat Turner. When the Yukon High product went missing in 2019, the rumors started to swirl. In other words, elite high jumpers must be strong and fast and possess impeccable technique. Turner fled and remained in hiding for more than two months until his discovery and capture by a local farmer. Well-armed militiamen arrived and within two days crushed the revolt. Nevertheless, he told Olivieri his intentions, and his coach went to work for him -- spending countless hours creating highlight tapes and petitioning schools with letters and phone calls. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. 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. Once his father passed away, fulfilling that promise was all he could think about. I was nowhere near the caliber of a pro football player. Spectrum News 1 officially welcomed its newest member of the Weather on the 1s team Friday morning. "He told he knew what I did and I said how coach?" Vernon Turner hasnt always called North Carolina home, though. At some point in his life,Nat Turner got kicked in the head by a mule. A world contender. Turner, a junior, is the first NCAA Indoor High Jump champion in Oklahoma history. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. "Coach Olivieri drove this green Chevy Nova, it was a little piece of crap," remembered Turner. She, Vernon and, by then, his little brother moved to the man's Staten Island home. Those messed with me. The museum declined the donation on the grounds that it doesnt display human remains. Some of the book's fascinating details are well known to those of us who followed Turner's athletic pursuits. You might say its the perfect Hollywood ending. Wouldnt surprise me if you saw 7-10 come out of him.. The 52-year-old former six-year NFL veteran is a successful father of three who resides in Houston, Tx. Or it may just add another wrinkle. Its possible to retrieve genetic material from protein that could still exist in an old skull, such as in the dentin of a tooth. How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. He heard through the grapevine VanHootgens days at OU might be limited VanHootgen eventually did step down but Turner ultimately opted to return to Norman because he wanted to work again with high jump coach Jerel Langley. 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. Turner came to learn that he was conceived when his mother was gang-raped and beaten as a teenager by a group of men in Brooklyn -- a badge of shame that he carried around throughout his youth, seeing himself as a daily reminder to his mother of the trauma she suffered. More specific information will be announced soon. Mini Bio (1) * Vernon M. Turner was born January 6th 1967, in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. The uncertain identity of those remains invites reflection on the historical mistreatment of human lives and bodies. With all he's accomplished and overcome, Turner travels as a motivational speaker these days. (Turner plans to visit Staten Island on May 13-14 and June 25 for book signings. He was taken to the county seat, then called Jerusalem (now Courtland), tried, convicted and hanged. 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 just didnt know how long it would take.. One head scratcher after another. For the past decade, what's believed to be Turner's skull has been in the possession of Richard Hatcher, former mayor of Gary, Indiana. "I didn't even wanna play quarterback, that's a sissy position," quipped Turner. More than most, because if youre just a hair off, it doesnt line up.. Eternal God, we are gathered here today to honor you, and to honor the legendary liberator, emancipator of the enslaved, and revolutionary of righteous, the Reverend Nathaniel Turner.. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. I will never, ever be able to pay back the Buffalo Bills for what they did for me, Turner confesses. [6] Despite concluding his senior campaign only second in rushing yards to teammate Robert Thomas, he was selected to the first team All-South Atlantic Conference in 1989. 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. 5h Rain continues to move into the area. Nat Turner looms large 190 years after his death. Until 10 pm for eastern NC. My father typed a letter that he kept in the box with the relic just in case anything unexpected happened to our family.