After Tragic Loss of His Brother, Buckeyes’ Vance Plays, Scores
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Chris Vance helped Ohio State defeat Minnesota, 34-3, Saturday at Columbus, Ohio, despite playing with a heavy heart.
Vance learned before the game that his 21-year-old younger brother, Percy Burton, was shot to death Friday night in Fort Myers, Fla. The senior wide receiver had Burton’s name, birth date, date of death and “R.I.P.” written on his uniform.
“It was my decision to play,” Vance said. “And it was my escape.”
Vance, whose father died of AIDS in prison before last year’s Minnesota game, caught only one pass, but it went for a 30-yard touchdown with 1:15 left in the third quarter that gave the Buckeyes a 27-3 lead.
“We wanted him to make a big catch,” quarterback Craig Krenzel said. “For him to do that is something special.”
Vance dedicated the touchdown to his brother, saying, “I know he would have wanted me to play.”
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-- Rob Fernas
Go beyond the scoreboard
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