THE NEWS OF THE death by suicide of the sweet and gentle former Chicago Bears superstar and member of the ’85 team that won the Super Bowl, Dave Duerson, brought a tear to my eye. He impressed me as a quiet, congenial, kind and sweet person, not loud or egotistical. I last saw Dave and Alicia Duerson at a Christmas party years ago hosted by Johnson Publishing’s Linda Johnson Rice at her Gold Coast home. We had a great time talking and just hanging out. You could see how much in love they were.
I talked to Alicia Duerson, who was married to the love of her life Dave Duerson for 26 years. Even though they divorced two years ago, they apparently still had love in their hearts for each other. Alicia said, “Dave was my first and only love and we grew up together and started dating at age 19 and were freshmen in college together. I was with him through his whole college career and his NFL career. He is the beloved father of my four children. We loved each other deeply. We shared everything together and his death has left me devastated and alone. He won’t be here for the kids’ graduation, weddings, or grandchildren,” she said. Their children are Chase, 27, Tregg, 25, Brock, 21, and Taylor, 15.
I can’t personally speak on their ups and downs because that happens in marriages, even when folks still care about each other. But if Duerson was suffering with depression and dementia due to a degenerative disease as it has been speculated in the news, that certainly could have affected their marriage. I will say that he was a great human being, athlete and a giant among men. He will be missed.
WARNER SAUNDERS, who knew Dave and was a sportscaster with WMAQ-Channel 5 during the Bears’ championship season, had this to say about his death: “Dave was a very nice and very intelligent person. In my judgment, he was respected by the management, the coaching staff and his fellow players. He was a trusted teammate who really did lead by example. The fact that he was thinking of others by requesting that his brain be left to science even at a time when he was in his darkest hours speaks volumes about the soul of the man.”
JUST IN: MULTI-AWARD-WINNING actress S. Epatha Merkerson of “Law & Order” fame will be honored by the DePaul Theater School during its annual fund-raising gala at the Four Seasons April 4.
VH-1 “BASKETBALL WIVES” REALITY star/bad girl Evelyn Lozada, former fiancee of Chicago’s Antoine Walker, is featured in the March issue of Sister 2 Sister mag, and she is giving it to ya’ straight . . . no chaser! Evelyn talks about her tumultuous relationship with Walker, a former NBA star, who now claims to be broke, and her hot new romance with football star and now fiance Chad Ochocinco. Her reveal is very revealing, that’s for sure. “Basketball Wives” is the show created and produced by Shaunie O’Neal, ex-wife of baller Shaquille O’Neal.
THEATRE NEWS: Due to popular demand, “The Earl,” starring Danny Goldring at the Red Orchid Theatre, has been extended through to March 2 . . . The Good Charlotte at the House of Blues March 15 . . . Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Travis Barker and Rick Ross at United Center April 1 . . . Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks at the United Center April 9.
JAMIE FOXX will host a Motown musical tribute from the White House on Thursday, which will air March 1 on PBS. The scheduled performers include Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow (also at the Rialto in Joliet June 30), John Legend, Gloriana, Smokey Robinson and Ledisi. Hey, I’m just waiting to hear that there will be a steppers’ set at the White House. I wouldn’t be surprised; after all, President Obama and Michelle are Chi-Town royalty, and I am sure they know and appreciate that time-honored dance tradition. Ha!
IN HONOR of Black History Month, Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown will host an awards event on Thursday at the Daley Center. The honorees are Toni Preckwinkle, Herb Kent, Cheryl Burton, Phil Jackson of the Black Star Project, Bertha Paul Buchanan, Rev. Eric Gerard Pearman and Gail Lutz. Judge John Steele will emcee.
THE SIGHTS: Mayoral hopeful Gery Chico ate at the Emperor’s Choice restaurant last week and at another table, Richard (the ghost hunter) Crowe chowed down . . . State Sen. Kirk Dillard and family dined at Vinci on Halsted street after catching a performance of “Million Dollar Quartet” at the Apollo. . . . The Bulls’ Kyle Korver and friends dined at Hub51 and later had drinks at R.J. and Jerrod Melman’s other hot spot Paris Club.
BIRTHDAY CANDLES: Bonnie Swearingen and David Axelrod. On Wednesday: Jeff Jacobs and Nan Mason.
I talked to Alicia Duerson, who was married to the love of her life Dave Duerson for 26 years. Even though they divorced two years ago, they apparently still had love in their hearts for each other. Alicia said, “Dave was my first and only love and we grew up together and started dating at age 19 and were freshmen in college together. I was with him through his whole college career and his NFL career. He is the beloved father of my four children. We loved each other deeply. We shared everything together and his death has left me devastated and alone. He won’t be here for the kids’ graduation, weddings, or grandchildren,” she said. Their children are Chase, 27, Tregg, 25, Brock, 21, and Taylor, 15.
I can’t personally speak on their ups and downs because that happens in marriages, even when folks still care about each other. But if Duerson was suffering with depression and dementia due to a degenerative disease as it has been speculated in the news, that certainly could have affected their marriage. I will say that he was a great human being, athlete and a giant among men. He will be missed.
WARNER SAUNDERS, who knew Dave and was a sportscaster with WMAQ-Channel 5 during the Bears’ championship season, had this to say about his death: “Dave was a very nice and very intelligent person. In my judgment, he was respected by the management, the coaching staff and his fellow players. He was a trusted teammate who really did lead by example. The fact that he was thinking of others by requesting that his brain be left to science even at a time when he was in his darkest hours speaks volumes about the soul of the man.”
JUST IN: MULTI-AWARD-WINNING actress S. Epatha Merkerson of “Law & Order” fame will be honored by the DePaul Theater School during its annual fund-raising gala at the Four Seasons April 4.
VH-1 “BASKETBALL WIVES” REALITY star/bad girl Evelyn Lozada, former fiancee of Chicago’s Antoine Walker, is featured in the March issue of Sister 2 Sister mag, and she is giving it to ya’ straight . . . no chaser! Evelyn talks about her tumultuous relationship with Walker, a former NBA star, who now claims to be broke, and her hot new romance with football star and now fiance Chad Ochocinco. Her reveal is very revealing, that’s for sure. “Basketball Wives” is the show created and produced by Shaunie O’Neal, ex-wife of baller Shaquille O’Neal.
THEATRE NEWS: Due to popular demand, “The Earl,” starring Danny Goldring at the Red Orchid Theatre, has been extended through to March 2 . . . The Good Charlotte at the House of Blues March 15 . . . Lil’ Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Travis Barker and Rick Ross at United Center April 1 . . . Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks at the United Center April 9.
JAMIE FOXX will host a Motown musical tribute from the White House on Thursday, which will air March 1 on PBS. The scheduled performers include Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow (also at the Rialto in Joliet June 30), John Legend, Gloriana, Smokey Robinson and Ledisi. Hey, I’m just waiting to hear that there will be a steppers’ set at the White House. I wouldn’t be surprised; after all, President Obama and Michelle are Chi-Town royalty, and I am sure they know and appreciate that time-honored dance tradition. Ha!
IN HONOR of Black History Month, Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown will host an awards event on Thursday at the Daley Center. The honorees are Toni Preckwinkle, Herb Kent, Cheryl Burton, Phil Jackson of the Black Star Project, Bertha Paul Buchanan, Rev. Eric Gerard Pearman and Gail Lutz. Judge John Steele will emcee.
THE SIGHTS: Mayoral hopeful Gery Chico ate at the Emperor’s Choice restaurant last week and at another table, Richard (the ghost hunter) Crowe chowed down . . . State Sen. Kirk Dillard and family dined at Vinci on Halsted street after catching a performance of “Million Dollar Quartet” at the Apollo. . . . The Bulls’ Kyle Korver and friends dined at Hub51 and later had drinks at R.J. and Jerrod Melman’s other hot spot Paris Club.
BIRTHDAY CANDLES: Bonnie Swearingen and David Axelrod. On Wednesday: Jeff Jacobs and Nan Mason.
No comments:
Post a Comment