Before I leave the remarkable legacy of Harrison's Brandon Burlsworth and the film of his life called Greater, now showing in nearly 400 theaters across America, I want to share a few back-story notes about the 22-year-old Razorback All-American who died in a tragic traffic accident on April 28, 1999.
For instance, the film didn't disclose that, shortly before his death, Brandon had formed a budding relationship with a college co-ed, also from Harrison. Having any girlfriend was something relatively new for Brandon since his focus had been solely on his family, faith, friends, football and earning his master's degree.
"He always said there would be time for girls later, but he had things he needed to accomplish first," said his mother, Barbara Burlsworth, a Harrison Realtor.
"Brandon was such a humble person who cared about and respected others," she continued. "He'd be completely blown away by all this attention focused on him. He just never sought the limelight. Instead, he did set goals and worked hard to achieve them."
Although Brandon became a stickler for staying focused and doing things the right way, he also was a typically sloppy teenager until the 10th grade when Barbara told him if he was serious about going to college, "he'd better get his act together." He was able to focus and achieve his primary goals that included earning a master's degree, making All-American and being drafted by an NFL team.
Tommy Tice, Brandon's high school coach at Harrison, said most people couldn't know that Brandon had etched the noseband of his trademark black-rim glasses with the words "All-American."
"He literally kept his goal focused right behind his nose through his college career."
Another trait that set Brandon apart was his respectful devotion to doing whatever authority figures asked of him. "He listened, then just did it," said Tice.
Tice also told of a time when he'd become agitated with another lineman during practice and told the team to watch. "I took the player's helmet and put it on," said Tice. "Then I turned around and the next player I faced was Brandon. When I told him to come at me full force to demonstrate my lesson about blocking, Brandon knocked me flat on my back, leaving me dazed for several seconds."
The coach said he managed to get back to his feet, still surrounded by the team. "I remember handing the helmet back to the other player, then shouting: "Well, by gosh, that will be the last time I teach you that lesson!" The team broke into laughter. Tice, now the athletic director for Huntsville, said he's never donned another helmet.
The film shows Brandon receiving a scholarship offer from Arkansas Tech University. In reality he also had one from Henderson State University. He declined both, insisting instead on joining the Razorbacks as a walk-on.
In the book about Brandon's life, retired businessman Bud Walsh of Harrison is credited with advising Brandon's older brother Marty to contact Razorback Assistant Coach Harold Horton to hopefully become a walk-on. Tice said he also called then-Hog head coach Danny Ford and asked him to take a look at Brandon. He said Ford wasn't enthused and even said Brandon would never earn a scholarship because he wasn't the type of player they were looking for. Yet Ford agreed to let Brandon show up as a "preferred walk-on."
The rest became the stuff of legend.
Also not included in the film is that Brandon and Marty also have a brother named Grady.
I asked Barbara about what her son's faith meant to him. "We attended the First Assembly in Harrison and Brandon was always there, starting at about 10 years old. He became very active in the youth group. He made close friends with Ed Robinson, who was a bit older. Brandon and Ed played football together and became very close friends over the years. In fact, Ed, who works for FedEx in Harrison and has three children, even named his oldest son after Brandon."
Tammy and Danny Roth of Harrison were friends of the Burlsworths. After Brandon was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, the caring couple asked Barbara if they might give Brandon some new shirts and a set of luggage for his trip. She agreed, and the night before Brandon's fatal accident, he sat with his mother at the dinner table to send the Roths a thank-you note. '"I told him how much it would mean to them to receive that message from him."
The note arrived on the day Brandon died. "I sent one of those shirts to the funeral home and Brandon was buried in it," said Barbara.
While the pain of losing Brandon always will be with her and the Burlsworth family, Barbara said she's also come to recognize a larger and mysterious divine plan in all that Brandon's indomitable spirit achieved during his brief lifetime.
She smiles when she sees the many thousands of children and others who've benefited enormously from the charitable Brandon Burlsworth Foundation and from his once having lived a blessed and honorable life among us.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.
Editorial on 09/13/2016