WR Chris Vance (official thread)

[BuckShots]

Just a quick note this morning....Please remember a former Buckeye and good person. His mother passed away in a terrible car accident this morning. He has had a rough few years with tragedy in his family. He is currently enrolled at Ohio State and will finish his degree in the honor of his mother...

Life works in mysterious ways!!!!

Go Bucks-

[Swedish Chef]

I wish I had something appropriate to say to all those who have such things happen to them, I hope he does alright.

[Muck]

It may be small comfort but Chris knows he is part of the Buckey family that loves and support him.

He is in our hearts.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Didn't he catch a TD pass during an evening game after his brother was shot dead that morning? That man has gone through a lot...

[BuckeyeKid789]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Didn't he catch a TD pass during an evening game after his brother was shot dead that morning? That man has gone through a lot...

Oh yeah, I vaguely remember that. Poor guy.

[Brickeye]

It was against Minny in 2002.

[Bucklion]

Met him at an autograph session. Nice kid. Thoughts and prayers go out to him.

[Buckinghorse]

Didn't he lose his brother one year. His dad almost exactly a year later. And now his mother?
Wow.

[coltsfan16]

I recently had the pleasure of meeting chris. He was a very nice guy.

What he has had to do deal with makes all of my struggles seem like an easy day. He has had more than his share of sadness to deal with.

My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his wife.

[scooter1369]

I met Chris once myself. He's a great kid. The loss of his brother was devastating to him and his decision to stay and play Minnesota that day was testament to the type of team he was a member of. He leaned on his mother after the shooting. She was his rock.

I can't imagine what this loss is doing to him.

He'll be in my prayers tonight.

[LoKyBuckeye]

Originally Posted by AJHawkfan

Apparently it wasn't MoC's ring, but Chris Vance's. It's always sad to see guys selling their rings, for whatever reason.....

the guy wanted 10K for the ring and he couldn't take ONE picture in focus.

[OregonBuckeye]

What's Chris doing these days besides selling his ring? There's no official thread for him.

[BB73]

This article is from 2002.

centralohio.com

Vance overcomes death of brother
Sibling was shot early Saturday

By Rob McCurdy
Gannett News Service

Dan Melograna OSU receiver Chris Vance celebrates a third-quarter touchdown catch.



GAME KEY

A botched punt snap after Minnesota's first drive of the second half gave Ohio State the ball on the Gopher 9 yard line. Lydell Ross scored two plays later, putting the Buckeyes up 17-3. They never were challenged after that.



COLUMBUS -- When Chris Vance pointed skyward after a touchdown, it wasn't posturing for the TV cameras as part of a look-at-me celebration. It was heartfelt acknowledgment for his fallen brother.

Only hours earlier, the Ohio State senior receiver learned his brother, Percy Burton, died in a shooting in his hometown of Fort Myers, Fla.

"It was tough," Vance said after Ohio State's 34-3 win over Minnesota on Saturday. "On the sidelines I thought about my brother every moment, but I knew I had to do something, so I performed for my brother in the game."
Burton was one of two men killed in a 1:10 a.m. Saturday shooting at a disco night at the American Legion, as reported by the Fort Myers News-Press. Police believe the shootings followed a dispute between two groups of people inside the building.

Alvin D. Boston, 25, died at the scene inside, while Vance's 21-year-old brother died outside with a gunshot to the head. Latrice Taylor, 39, was struck by a stray bullet in the leg while outside the club and was taken to the hospital, reported the News-Press, a Gannett newspaper.

"This is a tough situation for him, but this is where he wanted to be and we'll handle it from there," OSU coach Jim Tressel said.

Vance found out early Saturday. Quarterback Craig Krenzel, who was rooming with Vance on the overnight hotel stay, was the first to hear the news.

"I think he was obviously in a difficult situation," Krenzel said. "It's up to us as teammates and friends to be there. He's been there for us.

"It catches you off guard and is a shock and I can't imagine how you would handle it by yourself. He wanted to play."

Vance made just one catch, but he made it count. With 1:15 left in the third quarter, he cut across the end zone and Krenzel hit him from 30 yards away to make it a 27-3 game.

"I came over and told him that was for his brother," OSU receiver/defensive back Chris Gamble said.

Tressel said it was special for Vance to make a big play.

"Chris Vance is close to his teammates," Tressel said. "He loves the game of football, and it was a release for him. There was a lot of pain for him, and he turned it up a notch."

Vance's father died of AIDS while in prison the week of the Minnesota game last year.

"To lose my father and brother in the same week is very disturbing," Vance said.

He played with "Percy" handwritten on his sleeve, honoring his brother and best friend.

"I talked to him on a day-to-day basis," Vance said. "He came to see me play in the spring game and Washington State game.

"It's funny because I talked to him yesterday
and then he passed away today."

Vance said he was expecting a call from his brother Saturday morning for a pregame chat like they always do.

They planned to see each other during Michigan week in 20 days.

Instead, after a call from Florida he never expected, Vance will see him for a final time at the funeral.
Originally published Sunday, November 3, 2002

[ScriptOhio]

Originally Posted by OregonBuckeye

What's Chris doing these days besides selling his ring? There's no official thread for him.

Signed, 1/27/05, and allocated to Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe...First signed by Saints, 1/27/04, and waived, 8/19/04...
http://www.neworleanssaints.com/play...m?playerid=181

It's hard to say where he is now, he's not currently listed on any NFL Europe team roster.

[Zurp]

Originally Posted by LoKyBuckeye

the guy wanted 10K for the ring and he couldn't take ONE picture in focus.

Would anyone who is an Ohio State fan actually want an Ohio State National Championship ring? I'm not trying to slam anyone if you do, but I just don't see the point in having one.