English Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? A lot is placed on their shoulders. "I play because I like basketball. Why would they pick a 6'8 supertar basketball guy in front of other people to have witnesses to rob him infront of heads resturant where all the other kids liked and loved Benji? Jetun lied. The Wolverines would not win another state title in the 20th century. Wilson's temper eventually would get the best of him as he shoved a teacher to the floor when the teacher tried to break up another argument between the two. Brothers of slain Simeon High School basketball star Ben Wilson find But he really screwed up when he went up to Simeon to find who stole his cousin's $10 armed with a gun. In anticipation of "Benji" hitting the airwaves, here's a look at eight aspects of Wilson's life, death and legacy. He started at St. Dorothy School and transferred to Ruggles Elementary School, graduating in 1981. Once again, Rush was not interested. He also left Brandon, who was 10 weeks old at the time of his father's death. Family members linked to this person will appear here. #FallenHawk. Jetun met and married Edward Rivers. They may delete the videos as some sites have been doing before. I am sure 6'8" 239 lbs Ben Wilson bumped into 5'9 165 lb Billy Moore and didn't say excuse me because he was in a heated argument with his girlfriend. Delivering Benji's eulogy at that ceremony was the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who'd been a candidate to represent the Democratic party during the presidential primaries earlier that year. William Moore, 16, fired a .22-caliber revolver three times, hitting Wilson twice and causing massive damage to his heart and liver. I didn't go nowhere but to my friends' houses and home. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. .whats left out are the many inaccuracies in the film and other distractions: I think the point was made at the beginning of the movie when the brother of Wilson stated that their mother taught them that saying yes sir, yes maam, excuse me and thank-you would get you far in the world. There was an error deleting this problem. It was during the Prairie State Games at Illinois State University that Benji first had the opportunity to play with Nick Anderson, a 6'6" wing who went on to play at Illinois and enjoy a productive career in the NBA with the Orlando Magic, the Sacramento Kings and the Memphis Grizzlies. There is a problem with your email/password. There was a problem getting your location. That status was partly a tribute to his gifts for the game and partly the awful handiwork of the two punks. Wilson's friend and Simeon teammate, former NBA and University of Illinois basketball player Nick Anderson, wore jersey number 25 during his career in Wilson's honor. Late basketball legend Benji "Ben" Wilson's son Brandon killed at age This story is still so unbelievably sad. That's the number that Benji wore during his prep career, and that has since become a factoid of Chicago basketball lore in its own right. He had all the moves. Jetun Rush was the prosecution's lead witness and testified to the same effect. Funny Question for the ladies here? Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. The pastor that DeSantis appointed to oversee Disney's district believes drinking tap water will turn you gayyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Some of you are so weird about celeb kids. He was released on parole in 2000. Biden works harder than you! ). I just caught the end of the documentary on ESPN and I'm literally in tears. You are using an out of date browser. It would become one of the darkest moments in the history of Chicago sports. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? His family was shocked when his serious girlfriend Jetun Rush gave birth to his son, Brandon, and though Benji was excited about the prospect of fatherhood, the couple frequently argued and Benji was suspended from school after accidentally striking a teacher during a confrontation. Dildy, though, found Brandon to be a bit more reserved than Ben, whom Dildy described as a "jokester" who would hide other players' basketball shoes and goof around with children. Failed to remove flower. NOW COME ON!! This is a sad story all around. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Nor does Brandon hide his pride in what his father accomplished in those maddeningly few seasons. A: The biopic is organized by Jeff Wilson, he will announce once it's done. Later that night, Chicago police arrested him there and shortly thereafter apprehended Omar Dixon. An argument ensued and Moore shot Wilson. WHILE he was driving? Damn BRAT! Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Ben Wilson Popularity . Behind Wilson, Simeon defeated West Aurora High School by nine points in the semifinals and beat top-ranked Evanston Township High School to win their first ever state title. 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CHICAGO (WLS) -- The two brothers of slain Simeon High School. Brandon Wilson. Benjamin Wilson, Jr. was a legend in his own time and his untimely death on November 20, 1984 at St. Bernard Hospital leaves a void in all who loved and revered Benjy. Benji usually won. Brandon Wilson is former Simeon star Ben Wilson's son. Wilson's family contended botched treatment at St. Bernard contributed to his death. "Who wouldn't be? Settlement reached in Wilson malpractice suit - UPI Archives This browser does not support getting your location. "He was a fierce competitor.". April 12, 2002: An unknown legacy - Chicago Tribune Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Steele retired all six Padres batters he faced, then headed to the bullpen to throw 25 more pitches. They always said he bumped into Moore. I'm about to begin my journey in rewriting my life after all the trauma, pain, and loneliness. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. It took paramedics forty minutes to arrive at the scene, and to further complicate matters Chicago emergency protocol in place forced the ambulance to take Wilson to the closest available hospital. According to Mirror, Benjamin attacked his abusive father with a hammer to stop him from further abusing his mother. Stories abounded about "Benjy" shooting baskets into a garbage can at age 5, of how deftly he handled his burgeoning celebrity and of how hard he studied because he wanted to be more than just a basketball player. JavaScript is disabled. They just think any blacks hanging around are stealing and thieves. "I don't think a kid needs that pressure.". He was not a pro yet with pro money. 9. William Moore appears at Malcolm X College private screening of Both Sides of the Gun, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Chicago. That doesn't make sense to me. As the Simeon student body began preparing for lunch period on November 20, Wilson elected to try and talk to Rush again instead of eating with his teammates as he usually did. 1 high school senior, was trying to decide whether to attend DePaul or Illinois. October 3, 1984 - September 9, 2021 (36 years old) Warren, Ohio. The following day an estimated 10,000 mourners attended Wilson's funeral at Operation PUSH headquarters. i dont buy billy moore's story, it was to perfect making him out to be the 'victim', the fact they cut school was armed with a gun and went to that school looking for a kid over 10 dollars tells me they were up to no good.i believe they decided to rob benji, him already being upset with his girlfriend he probably wasnt in his right mind frame and didnt think about this kid has a gun maybe he should back down. They didn't accuse Ben of stealing anything. . By all accounts, the film, co-directed by native Chicagoans Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, is an emotional, Houseman-esque ode to an athlete dying young and the devastating effects that senseless violence has had and continues to have on Chicago's inner-city youth. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Moore was 16 years old when Wilson bumped into him as he was having an argument with his girlfriend Jetun Rush, the mother of his son, Brandon, on Nov. 20, 1984. 25 Simeon uniform at Oak Woods Cemetery. He played one season for UMES. ESPN is set to debut a new documentary about the mythic prep star from Simeon Career Academy on the South Side of Chicago, entitled "Benji," as part of its 30 For 30 series on Tuesday, October 23. 171. They saw the king of the world., Mimi Faust confirms that Ex Fianc Ty Young had Affair with Drew from RHOA, New Mother KeKe Palmer is impressed with single mothers, Kim Kardashian and Kelly Rowland Work Out Together and Show Off Abs in Mirror Selfie, Jackson State University President Thomas Hudson has been placed on administrative leave, Thoughts from Ms. Going to Africa. "Brandon leaves to cherish his memory; parents, Jetun and Edward Rivers; two brothers, Jared and Jalen Rivers; one sister, Brelyn Rivers; grandparents, Vallie Rush (Chicago), and Rachel Rivers (Queens, NY). The 1984-85 team, which would have seen Wilson team with future NBA star Nick Anderson (whom he convinced to transfer to Simeon), went 28-2 without their captain. Try again later. I didn't go to parties or stupid places. Men feel the need to impose themselves on other men's wives they don't find attractive. 25 jersey while at Michigan. 1 prep player in the country by renowned basketball talent scout Bob Gibbons after excelling against elite competition at the Nike/AFBE Camp in Princeton, New Jersey. Soon after the shooting, Erica Murphy returned to her home to find Billy Moore sitting in her living room watching television. Moore was thinking more about getting with Erica Murphy and smoking weed. "He probably was the best player I've ever seen in high school.". But all the accolades and sales pitches became meaningless babble shortly after noon Nov. 20 as Wilson walked past a convenience store about a block from Simeon. The panel discussion also featured hip-hop artist and actor Common and former CPS CEO and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan a childhood friend of Ben. Thankyou for this link. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. "There's no pressure. He lost his own son, William IV, to gun violence in July 2017. "I'm excited," he said about Saturday's game, "but more so just to represent New York and myself.". However . Media always says blacks are stealing and robbing when they arent. As Paul Wilkerson, a native Chicagoan who played with Wilson during his youth, told Scoop Jackson of Wilson's decision to attend the prestigious basketball powerhouse: I dont know why BJ decided to go to Simeon; I didnt think hed get any run here. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Moore and Dixon were not known thieves. The first, directed by Coodie and Chike and produced in association with ESPN Films, was titled Benji and made its debut at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Moore yelled up the street at Wilson to watch where he was going. They advanced to the state 2A quarterfinals before losing to Lanphier High School of Springfield. 8 Things to Know Before You Watch ESPN's Documentary 'Benji' You have chosen this person to be their own family member. The wrong time for another loss, as the Bulls were now two games out of a play-in spot. The life and murder of Ben Wilson was featured in two documentary films produced in the 21st century. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Legendary names like Isiah Thomas, Cazzie Russell, Mark Aguirre, Maurice Cheeks, Terry Cummings and Hersey Hawkins patrolled the hardwood and concrete courts of the Windy City once upon a time. Murphy met up with the two boys shortly thereafter, and Moore and Dixon followed her to a luncheonette on South Vincennes Avenue. I hate to see someone so young with potential die!!!!!!!!!! Wilson died from injuries sustained in the shooting the following morning. Brandon Wilson, who was on death row for the 1998 ambush slaying of a 9-year-old boy in Oceanside, was found dead Thursday hanging in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, state corrections officials said. Chicago has produced many a great basketball player over the years. "The worst thing you can do is always be compared as to how you measure up," Hall said. Mood ruined. Why do people post controversial opinions online but are surprised when they get dragged? The importance of the book and the events that precipitated it has not been lost on Simeon's most celebrated pupils. Despite doctors repeatedly telling her they could save her son, Mary Wilson's professional experience as a nurse told her that even if they were able to repair the damage, Ben would likely be in a persistent vegetative state afterward due to the massive blood he had already lost. Rush gave birth to the child, a boy named Brandon, over the summer. Wilson persisted, though, and followed her as she began walking up the street outside Simeon. Jetun lied about the robbery so two young black males would definitely go to jail for killing the father of her newly born son. As Derrick Rose told KC Johnson of The Chicago Tribunein 2009: They tried to keep his spirit alive, not just in the program but throughout the whole school. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. African fonts, can y'all recommend me some African female artists? He also expressed that he felt both of the defendants were being "railroaded" by overzealous law enforcement officials whose desperation to hold someone accountable for the murder of a star athlete compromised their integrity and led them to create false case theory. During the argument, Moore drew the pistol he had been carrying. The words "Best in the Nation" marked his gravesite. After those aforementioned greats, long before Kevin Garnett was a national name, and even before Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis and Jabari Parker were twinkles in their mothers' eyes, there was Ben Wilson. Resend Activation Email. This - 1000x's. I'm glad they changed that sh!t. Moore and Dixon had cut school that day, and Moore had a .22 caliber pistol in his possession. Benjamin Wilson, Jr. (1967 - 1984) - Genealogy - geni family tree ", Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Isaiah Gant, Moore's attorney, argued that his client was only trying to protect himself from the much larger Wilson. After the week-long event, Wilson was ranked the number-one high school player in America. Chicago (March 18, 1967 - November 21, 1984) was an American high school basketball player from Chicago, Illinois. Benji was a 6'9" jack-of-all-trades swingman who's since garnered comparisons to Kevin Durant but who patterned his game after those of Magic Johnson and George Gervin. Brandon Wilson (c. born in 1978) is incarcerated on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison for the murder of 9-year-old Matthew Cecchi in Oceanside, California on November 14, 1998. Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking Brandon Wilson is former Simeon star Ben Wilson's son. Erica Murphy stated Ben and Jetun were arguing and loud. It's estimated that 8,000 people attended Benji's wake at the Simeon gym on November 23, three days after he was gunned down, and that around 10,000 showed up to his funeral on November 24 at Operation PUSH headquarters. The Late Ben Wilson's Son Brandon Wilson | Lipstick Alley