"Brian’s Song": What Really Happened
When Brian’s Song aired as a made-for-television film forty years ago this week, it was such a hit that it was eventually shown in theaters. Touching on sports, race relations and early death, it became known as the movie “men are allowed to cry at.”
Although critics praised Brian’s Song for its frank description of cancer when the disease was rarely discussed publicly, the reality of Brian Piccolo’s illness and death was quite different than what was portrayed on the screen. It turns out the actual story of what happened to Piccolo is even more instructive, and especially relevant for modern cancer patients and health professionals struggling to balance hope and reality.
Brian Piccolo was a 26 year-old running back for the Chicago Bears in the fall of when he developed a cough and difficulty breathing. The diagnosis was grim: a grapefruit-sized, highly malignant cancer known as a teratoma in Piccolo’s chest.
Because his cancer was so rare, Piccolo sought treatment at New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Over the next half-year, until his death in June , he underwent three major operations, chemotherapy and radiot
Piccolo was a modestly recruited running back from Central Catholic High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He toiled in relative obscurity as a sophomore and junior at Wake Forest (freshmen were not eligible for varsity) on Deacon teams that managed only one victory in 20 contests.
The one win was against South Carolina in as Piccolo was the standout performer. He rushed for yards and scored the game winning touchdown and kicked the winning extra point in the closing moments for the Deacs to take a lead.
Piccolo became a focal point of the offense under new coach Bill Tate in The 5-foot, pounder would carry the ball times for 1, yards on the season, an ACC record at the time. His rushing total and points scored (on 17 TDs and nine PATs) led the entire country. Piccolo set six new conference records and nine school records. He was selected ACC Player of the Year and was an All-American.
One particular game stands out against Duke, in which Picco
| The Official Website of the Chicago Bears
Relationship with Halas, Ed and Virginia McCaskey
Like Sayers, Halas and the rest of his family also formed a special bond with Piccolo. It might have started when Piccolo sent Halas a hand-written thank-you note for signing him as an undrafted free agent. In the two-page letter dated Jan. 11, , Piccolo also expressed his gratitude for the press conference and how he and his wife were treated.
"Joy tells everyone about that great press conference you had for me," Piccolo wrote. "I've never felt so important in my life. Mr. Halas, I want to thank you for being so wonderful to Joy at that press conference. When you called her over to be in those pictures, she was so pleased. I'll tell you this, whoever was your number one fan before Joy met you is number two.
"If someone would have told me a few years ago that someday I'd be playing for George Halas, I would never have believed them. It's a dream come true. I'm so thankful to you for the opportunity and I'll play my heart out for you."
Longtime Bears executive Ed McCaskey bonded quickly with Piccolo. It was McCaskey who suggested that Piccolo and Sayers room together and
Brian Piccolo
| Professional American football player Date of Birth: Country: USA |
Content:
- Biography of Brian Piccolo
- Brian Piccolo passed away on June 16, , at the age of
Biography of Brian Piccolo
Brian Piccolo was a professional American football player who played for the Chicago Bears for four years. He was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and was the youngest of three sons of Joseph and Irene Piccolo. When Brian was 12, his family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, because his parents were concerned about his brother Don's health.
From a young age, Brian and his brothers were involved in sports, with Brian excelling in football in school, even though he was more inclined towards baseball. In , Piccolo graduated from high school and went on to play college football for Wake Forest. It is also known that he was offered a scholarship to study at Wichita State University.
During his time at Wake Forest, Brian became known not only for his athletic achievements but also for a non-sporting incident. In a game against the University of Maryland, Brian was instrumental in diffusing tension when he approached Darryl Hill, the first African-American
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