Remembering a Titan

MANASSAS » Help raise money for spinal cord injury research Saturday at Uno’s
Football fans who remember the Titans should also remember that tomorrow is the day seven area Uno’s restaurants are helping to fight spinal cord injuries.

From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Uno’s is donating 20 percent of each patron’s total bill to the Gerry Bertier #42 Foundation. That includes “to go” and the bar.

Also, any customer who donates money gets a chance to win a “Remember the Titans” VIP prize pack. The movie is based on Alexandria’s T.C. Williams High School’s emotional drive to an undefeated season and the 1971 Virginia state football title.

Who was Gerry?

Gerry was the middle linebacker portrayed in the Disney movie “Remember the Titans.”

A car accident later left him paralyzed and did not happen exactly as it was depicted in the movie.

He was on his way home from the fall sports award banquet when his car went out of control and hit a fire hydrant. The car then hit a flashing school sign, which was solid with concrete filling. The sign was twisted into an L shape from the impact. The car then careened across the road facing the wrong way and landed in a ditch. He was in the car for some time before being found. Exactly how the accident happened was never truly solved. Gerry felt he was hit by another car from behind, but the police could never find another car.

At the time, Gerry had several offers from a variety of colleges including Minnesota, Ohio State, Maryland and Michigan, to name a few.

He went on to win gold medals in the Wheelchair Olympics and was instrumental in opening up handicapped accessibility, including easier access via curb ramps and wider store entrances.

But tragedy struck again. Ten years after his paralysis, Gerry Bertier was killed by a drunken driver.

Now, the Gerry Bertier #42 Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury Research carries on Bertier’s name and spirit by raising money for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Spinal Cord Injury Research and Rehabilitation Center.

Sorting the facts

Other players who have since reunited say that while the movie highlighted racial tensions at the time Virginia schools were desegregated, the only real tension between team members was athletic competition.

Since three high schools had been combined at T.C. Williams to comply with a desegregation order, competition to play on any team was naturally stiff.

A lot of the players still keep in touch, as they still live in Northern Virginia. Reggie Watson will be at the Manassas Uno’s tomorrow.

If you want to remember the Titans and help battle spinal cord injuries, you do need to bring a “dough ticket” and give it to the server for the foundation to get the 20 percent.

E-mail Brenda Facemire at brendafacemire@verizon.net, if you need one. She will send you a copy to print.