Raven, 49er who lost loved ones know Super Bowl not ultimate test

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

chill@star-telegram.com

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas once quipped about the Super Bowl, "If it's the ultimate game, why do they play it again next year?"

So as we get caught in the hype of Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, it's important to keep things in perspective.

It is just a game and will be played again next year, unlike real life when sometimes you don't get a second chance.

No one knows that more than Ravens cornerback Chris Johnson and 49ers defensive back Tarell Brown, who will participate thinking about tragically departed loved ones.

Johnson's life and the lives of his family were shattered Dec. 5, 2011, when his sister, Jennifer, was shot multiple times and killed in the parking lot of an east Fort Worth apartment complex. His mother was also shot in the domestic dispute. Jennifer's estranged boyfriend, Eugene Esters, was arrested and charged. He will stand trial just a few weeks after the Super Bowl, Feb. 24, and Johnson and his family will be in the courtroom in Fort Worth hoping to finally to be able to move on.

"I think about it every day, not just here," Johnson said. "Once we get this victory it's going to be a good moment, then I have to go back to reality with the trial coming up. I don't think it's going to ever be closure. ... I would rather get [the trial] behind us so we can actually move forward and keep pushing forward."

Pushing forward is the path that Brown, the 49ers' cornerback, has taken. He was 9 when his mother, Tonya Edmonds, was shot and killed in a robbery attempt on her way to work as a secretary at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in Dallas.

He moved in with his dad, Robert, who had divorced his mom seven years earlier, and turned to football and sports to cope with his loss. Brown became a star player at North Mesquite High School, earning a scholarship to the University of Texas. He became a three-year starter and was a member of the 2005 national championship team.

Despair found its way to Brown's door once again a couple of months before the 2007 NFL Draft when his dad died of a heart attack.

Friends and family rallied around Brown, and he will have 25 family members from the Dallas area attending Sunday's Super Bowl. But his mind will be on two who won't be able to share in his joy.

"I miss them tremendously, especially on moments like this when you can't share it with people you care about," Brown said. "It's tough. I think 'why me' all the time. But I know God only puts people through stuff they can handle. I can't question that. I'm a tough person."

Brown uses his pain over the loss of his parents as motivation on the field. Off the field, he uses his story as a testimony to others that they too can succeed, no matter what happens in their life.

It's behind the three foundations he has set up in Dallas for single mothers, underprivileged children, and convicts looking for a second chance.

"I'm a living witness of this happening in my life," Brown said. "I think about my parents every day. If I can get through it, you can get through it. It's not just about me. It's about helping other people going through similar stuff. Everyone has problems. The difference is how you handle it. You get can get through anything if you put your mind through it."

Johnson, an East Texas native and Louisville alum who has three children, took the first step toward helping his family cope by taking in his sister's children -- 14-year-old Sidney and 3-year-old Solia. Both still have trouble getting over their mother's death, as expected.

He has also tried to support his own mother, who is dealing with the double whammy of being shot as well as the loss of a child.

"I try as a son to be that foundation for her and uplift her when she has those moments," Johnson said. "It's going to be hard for the rest of our lives. But at the same time I think Jennifer would want us to keep the smile on our face and keep living."

Johnson asked for his release from the Oakland Raiders last year following the tragedy so he could help his family. He signed with the Ravens in the off-season and has made a point to share his experiences with his new teammates. He reached out to receiver Torrey Smith after his brother died in a motorcycle accident. He also talked to the team after Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher murdered his girlfriend and committed suicide.

"I actually spoke to the team right after the Belcher deal in Kansas City and let them know 'guys, you don't know what guys are going through outside of the locker room. Don't take life for granted. Life is a precious thing. Just live in the moment ever day as you don't know when God will call you.'"

And while Johnson understands the focus and importance put on the Super Bowl because of the hard work everyone puts into it and the quest to be champions, he also knows like Duane Thomas, "this is a game. Life is real."

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

817-390-7697

Twitter: @clarencehilljr

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