JT’s Story
Jerry Townsend, Jr.
Was born on February 7, 1987 in Jacksonville, Florida and is the oldest of three children. JT suffered a spinal cord injury on Friday, October 8, 2004, in a game against Bishop Kenny High School.
Despite his injury,
JT has made great strides since. He received a scholarship to attend Episcopal High School in 2003. While at Episcopal, JT received many awards and recognition, including The Episcopal High School Foundation Award for Excellence of Character and the Best Athlete of the Episcopal High School Class of 2005.
JT’s football and basketball jerseys were retired in 2009 at a special ceremony for his contributions when he played in the positions of wide receiver on the football team and forward on the basketball team. He is graduated college 2013 from the University of North Florida (UNF) with a major in Sports Management.
Life Before the Injury:
“I think that I was like many other adolescents in my peer-group. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends, going to the mall and the movies, and just having a good time. I loved the time that I spent with my family, having cook outs, going on vacations, celebrating birthdays and all of the other things that families do. When I was young I fell in love with sports. Because my parents were sticklers for good grades, I worked hard to maintain a high grade point average. In high school, I continued to play sports and enjoyed being a “star athlete” in both basketball and football.”
JT’s Life before his passing….
“Life now is very different, as I am sure that one could imagine. Before, I was a very independent person and quite accustomed to doing things on my own. Now, I have to rely on others for just about everything. There are many things that have not changed, though.
I still love to go to the mall, going to the movies, and hanging out with my friends. I still love sports, and although I cannot play them I still enjoy watching games, both live and on television. Physical therapy has become a big part of my routine.
The therapy keeps my body in shape, flexible, and conditioned. I am now a senior at the University of North Florida majoring in sports management” says Townsend.
Why it is important to give back. . .
“My family and I were very blessed to have the support of our extended family, friends, and the Jacksonville community. For me and my family, giving back is a heartfelt and passionate endeavor. It is our hope that we can help others in their various circumstances and with varying disabilities, the way that we have been helped, and continue to be, by others. In addition, the joy of seeing someone receive is priceless.“ said J.T. Townsend.
JT Townsend passed away suddenly
And unexpectedly June 5th, 2013. But, his legacy lives on through the work he began with his foundation. We all strive to LIVE LIKE JT!
Want to know more about JT Townsend?
Champion: The JT Townsend Story is a one-hour documentary highlighting the life of a local football player whose life was forever changed after suffering a near fatal spinal cord injury on the field.
Townsend’s inspirational story is told by the people who knew him best and were forever touched by his life. The encore presentation aired on WTLV-NBC 12 on January 22, 2016 at 8:00.
The staff at JTTF wish to give our sincere thanks to Executive Producer Casey Black DeSantis and Co-Producer Paul Bulluck for this amazing film about our founder and friend JT Townsend. Without your help we would not be able to share the life of this amazing man with those who never had the opportunity to meet him.
If you missed the airing of this amazing film, you can watch it below!