Greater has three surprises, which is three more than most faith-based films, particularly of the inspirational sports-movie variety. He and his wife Tresia have four children, Michael, Jordan, Brandon and Samantha. Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization It was just something that we thought of, you know. Majority of the time she will join him for school appearances. "It was a struggle similar to Brandon's struggle to play college football," Marty Burlsworth said. He put on weight before enrolling at Arkansas, but it was a bad 40 or so pounds that he eventually had to melt before. Burlsworth Character Award or school. With The Aid Of Marty Burlsworth. The movie wouldn't get made until a non-Hollywood type, an Arkansas real estate developer named Brian Reindl, decided this was a story worth telling onscreen with the Burlsworth family's input - and then some. Marty Burlsworth tells us about bringing the story of Greater to the screen, his relationship with Brandon, and making ones way through understanding and accepting God in times of crisis. When the pandemic started, I guess we all needed to find hobbies to help us pass the time. For me, it was reading. | Cindi Hagood is our Program Director of the Eyes of a Champion program. Brandon, the officer told us, had collided head-on with a semi. We still dont really know what happened that afternoon. Marty Burlsworth is available to appear at special events as his schedule allows. He may be gone, but I still want to do whatever I can to keep his dreams going, to keep his legacy going. You take care of it, you get things done. So because you and your close ones felt like this story could be a film, did you make that known and/or start looking for filmmakers to bring it to life? But as Marty Burlsworth, Brandons older brother and companion through it all, emphasized in an exclusive interview with The Daily Wire, Brandon made his football goals happen because he was relentless. This was the dream. He took my call, but I couldnt tell just how interested he was. So that was kind of the stamp of approval there, plus theyre Christians and they didnt want to lose that faith aspect. Vickie L Burlsworth is also associated with this address. MORE: Deserving teacher who received $530 from plane passengers surprised with more than . Hed be very humbled that parents would want to bring their kids to see this movie., Copyright 1995 - Some of his teammates have since told me how red his face would be during practice, how hard he went, how he never gave up. Marty Burlsworth Discusses Brandon Burlsworth's Nomination for the CFB Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Toggle header content A film about Brandon's existence with the working title "Greater" was shot in 2013 and was released as a feature movie on August 26, 2016. Now, if you find yourself at that Colts shop, I told him, You make sure and get us some gear this time.. And if Brandon was doing whatever he could on the field, then I sure as heck would do whatever I could to help get my brother there. He played on both sides of the ball and would just blow the field up. He is most famous for his college football career at the University of Arkansas. Marty Burlsworth knew it even as he struggled to understand the horrific ending. After the draft, he spoke to me a lot about helping other kids in Harrison. But as I turned the next corner onto Moms street and pulled up to her house, I got a good look at the car. Even after away games, when the Razorbacks returned to Fayetteville late at Brandons short-lived career involved true honor and character, and thanks to the new film, his legacy will go further and live on as a model for others. So we had talked to a group or two out of California that had pitched the idea but we just never were at peace or had any comfort. Thats what its all about: What you do while you were here. Mom and I picked him up at the airport when he came home. Was there anything that you had to do for yourself spiritually or emotionally to prepare for the making of this movie? ", Trouble was, every time he asked "what input would the family have" in how the story was told, he got the same answer: "None.". He was determined to drive home the same day so he could attend evening church service with the family. The family respectfully declined. Director Yelena Popovic discusses why this film had to be made. Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert are back to explain the stakes, place bets and analyze the most valuable players in the NBA Finals. Marty wont predict how the Razorbacks will finish in the SEC this season, but he will say that he believes Greater is the kind of film that people will want to see more than once because there are layers of life lessons. The family respectfully declined. Proudly created with Wix.com. It was my dream, too, and I sure worked hard at it. Dang, Marty, what have you been feedin that boy?. Neal McDonough plays his older brother, Marty, who took on a father figure role after their parents divorced. Greater reflects that relentless energy we need in order to be the best people we can and, at times, to push further than anyone suspects we can go. Ive kind of been planning it that way.. Selfishly, I don't want Brandon to be forgotten. I let out a little sigh of relief. interested in booking Marty for your event? The 22-year-old, drafted 11 days earlier by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, was headed home to take his mother to church. (as David Hunt) (edited by) Casting By He asked me to help him, but theres all this certification that goes into being an agent. And I didnt want him to always be wondering what could have been. Greater is a very emotional movie and it deals with figuring out your faith in times of grief and loss. When he set his mind to something, you better believe you were going to witness him do it. I wanted everything for Brandon, and within a few moments, it had all been taken away. In November 1998, the Razorbacks were 8-0, ranked 10th in the country, and playing at No. All of Razorback nation mourned along with the shell-shocked residents of his Boone County hometown; after everything he'd overcome to reach all-America status, it seemed impossible even death itself had the power to stop him. Burlsworth attended Harrison High School where he was an All-State selection. He earned 1st team All-SEC honors in 1997 and 1998 and was selected for the 1998 College Football All-America Team. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was born in Harrison, Arkansas, on September 20, 1976 to Leo Burlsworth and Barbara Burlsworth. He found it in routine and repetition, in church and in the trenches, in that place where they call the Hogs and even an Alabama visitor can feel what it means for a young man from Harrison, Ark., to call himself a Razorback. Arkansas All-American Walk-On Burlsworth Now the Subject of Film Brandon Burlsworth - Wikipedia Brian Reindl is a real estate developer by trade, but a filmmaker by passion. I had about 212,000 miles on it by the time I got rid of it. After his death, the Arkansas Razorbacks retired his jersey in his honor and encased his locker in glass for public display. properties, Build a downloadable list Its clear, though, that Martys harshness is meant as the tough love of an older brother obliged to assume a father-figure role in the absence of their alcoholic bum of a father (Michael Parks of the Kill Bill movies in a small but affecting role). This has been a pretty big year for me tra. Greater, though, looks to something more than this: something greater than any loss or tragedy. It always seemed like a movie to me. In the award's twelfth year, the Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas Walk . Marty is a resident of 3775 Savannah Drv, Harrison, AR 72601-9851. COINCIDENCES. But [the death was] not the ending. In 1999, he completed an MBA and was the first Razorback football player to complete a master's degree. Marty and Vickie both have recorded multiple interviews on podcasts across the nation. David Hunt, the movies director, also assisted with the screenplay. Brandons number 77 became one of only two numbers retired in Arkansas Razorback football history. Marty's current home is located at . Creative camerawork is another asset; consider a moment of rapprochement lit by car headlights and filmed through swishing windshield-wiper blades on a night of pouring rain. But Brandon would stay on campus, working painting the stadium, setting up dorms, things like that and taking classes. On the way there, Burlsworth died an unthinkable death that shook the entire state. You know, Brandon, you could think about entering the draft. One weekend when I was driving with Brandon to campus I think maybe it was his junior year a thought crossed my mind. Brandon Burlsworth Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements We found 2 people in 2 states named Marty Burlsworth living in the US. There are few actors in Hollywood brave enough to wear their Catholic faith on . Even his peers saw an innocent kid who just didnt understand why he couldnt make it in college football, and certainly not the NFL. View Marty Burlsworth's record in Harrison, AR including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. I wasnt sure. SDG Reviews 'Greater'| National Catholic Register Burlsworth and Associates. Named an All-American in 1998, he was drafted in 1999 by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round 11 days before being killed in a vehicular accident. Marty Burlsworth knew it even as he struggled to understand the horrific ending. Eleven days later he passed on attending a Razorback ring presentation ceremony to drive to his hometown to take his mom to church. Brandon was home. Neal McDonough (L) plays Marty Burlsworth in 'Greater' (Hammond Entertainment). Whether it was in Fayetteville, or in Knoxville or Tuscaloosa, we had an unspoken rule: We were going to Brandons games. If it meant going over to Moms house to help him with homework, I wanted to be there. Its a simple but effective response, nicely underscored by the gospel anthem Ill Fly Awayrunning through the film. As it turned out, it was a squad car, with officials there to convey the bad news. We may still get one. Anything that wasnt right, wasnt real, wasnt what Brandon was about. Didn't buy it or rent it or watch it on DVD. So you didnt know if that was going to happen but that wasnt really the main [concern]. Harrison, Arkansas, United States. The Burls Way: How a Denham Springs man got the lead in 'Greater Release Dates Some of that was a little bit of filmmaking andwe were fine with it. Because we dont want to be there- that close- to some scenes thatll be tough to watch even being filmed. Theres never a day where I dont think about Brandon. And then we were approached 11 years ago by Brian Reindl whos the producer- who had no experience in the filmmaking industry at all but had a passion for it. Faith is the river that runs through it all, from Brandon's Christian life to Marty's painful spiritual journey at his death to the care with which those threads are woven together. The story unfolds in two strands. His Subaru clipped an incoming 18-wheeler and then collided head-on with a tractor-trailer in Alpena, Arkansas. His age is 36. At present, through the Burls Kids program, the foundation works towards providing underprivileged youths a chance to visit Razorback and Colts football games. Youll have all your coursework done and can graduate at the end of the year anyway., Yeah, he said with a smile. company, Get valuable lists emailed directly It was the Razorbacks. After interning at Super Bowl 46 in Indianapolis, she started full-time with USA Football, the NFLs non-profit partner which led her to her love of mega-events and non-profit work. Marty speaks nationwide on developing character and overcoming adversity. By all accounts, Burlsworth spent his 22 years on this earth showing everyone in his orbit how to do faith, family and football right. Marty Burlsworth, 55, and who was 38 when Brandon died, says they were approached by Hollywood about making a film around Brandons story many years ago. The former Arkansas hostile, Brandon Burlsworth was headed to his Harrison, Ark., home from Fayetteville, where he got a SEC West title ring alongside the remainder of the 1998 Razorbacks on April 28, 1999. He was also named to the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll 1995-1998 and was the first football player in the entire history of his university to earn a Master's degree "before" playing his last game. My Brother Brandon | By Marty Burlsworth - The Players' Tribune See, Brandon started out a little scrawny. barbaraann@burlsworth.com. We suddenly needed that gear, because we would be rooting for the Colts. And then apparently that thought process was also out there in California we did hear from some that approached us but one thing I wasnt 100 percent sure [of] was the commitment level over there which was why when Reindls wife said [when] he sets his mind to it, he gets it done, you know, Ive always heard that in Hollywood [scripts] can sit on the shelf forever. We watched the game from this conference room at the top of the stadium. We planned to move out to Indianapolis with him. Reindl made another unique promise that he kept. Brandon Burlsworth - Football Players, Family and Childhood Brandon was the first ever Arkansas player to complete his masters degree before he appeared in his final game against the University of Texas. Thats pretty tough. Teens and up. Marty Burlsworth, 55, and who was 38 when Brandon died, says they were approached by Hollywood about making a film around Brandon's story many years ago. And every week he was right on time with his little white Subaru parked in Moms driveway. It would take 11 years - with Reindl financing the independent production himself when other investors dried up - but in 2016, "Greater" hit the theaters. When we got back home to Harrison, the day of the draft was just filled with anxiety. There are about 11,000 people in town and one unspoken rule: If it's Friday night, you're going to the Harrison High football game. He spent as many days as he could in the weight room getting stronger. And I couldnt wait to be right there with him. Surely, he reasons, God will be merciful; Marty would be, and he cant be more merciful than God. Of course, he was my brother and you do anything for family, but things were a little tougher for him. Hed call me or Id call him and we would talk about what practice was like that day. Then I turned on Netflix and watched an honest, humble, earnest movie about the man called "Greater.". They are active members of the Northside Church of Christ in Harrison, Ar. Well if you had taken God out of it, it [wouldve] been fiction. And the only thing bigger than high school football in Harrison or anywhere else in Arkansas is Razorback football. Brandons older brother Marty started the foundation after Brandons death in 1999. I mean it was for me. The film covers the issues he had with his weight and his incredible work ethic that earned him a chance. In 1996, he earned himself a scholarship and also sealed his own starting place as a right guard on the offensive line for the Arkansas Razorbacks. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Portrait and Wedding Photographers Arkansas Pope Francis, Biden Commend Peacemaker Bishop OConnell as Memorial Services Begin. He joined the team as a walk-on and eventually became an All-American . Although he had only participated in a Colts mini-clinic before the accident, Burlsworth left such an impression that the team wore a decal with his Colts number, 66, on their helmets that season and they honored him and the family at a game. Marty Burlsworth, 55, and who was 38 when Brandon died, says they were approached by Hollywood about making a film around Brandon's story many years ago. Its condensed. Apr 2007 - Present15 years 3 months. Brandon Burlsworth, NFL player. It just takes some time. of prospects that meet your criteria, Monitor any person, property or Brandon isnt a very interesting character, but hes a likable one. A coda sums up the impact of Brandons life: the programs, scholarships and so forth established in his name. Although the Razorbacks led 21-3 at one point and were up 24-22 with less than two minutes to go, the game turned on an even crazier play that also involved Burlsworth. Burlsworth, 22, was a third-round draft choice (63rd overall) of the Indianapolis Colts just two weeks ago and he and his brother and agent, Marty Burlsworth, were negotiating a contract. We didnt want that Sports Illustrated did a feature piece on Brandon. Marty and Vickie have three sons, two daughters in law, an adorable granddaughter Blake, and a precious grandson, Carter. Whether Im driving around town, past the baseball park where we used to play catch, past the Razorbacks signs on front lawns, I feel his presence.

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