Leesburg football star dies in crash

LEESBURG -- Football players sat in shock early Tuesday as coaches and counselors at Leesburg High School told the student athletes of the death of one of their own.

Willie R. Tucker Jr., 17, died Monday at the scene of a 9 p.m. two-car collision on U.S. Highway 27 north of Clermont, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Willie's friend, teammate and passenger, Howard A. Russell, 17, was flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition late Tuesday, according to a hospital spokesman. Howard suffered a severe back injury and several lacerations, according to Leesburg High School Principal Charles McDaniel, who said he learned of the teenager's condition from the boy's mother.

Willie's father, Willie Tucker Sr., rushed down from Atlanta after hearing about his son's death.

"I wanted to see where it happened," Tucker said. "They still don't know why it happened."

Willie's mother, who was being comforted by family and friends at her High Street home, said her son was "all about football."

"Football, football, football," said Christine Tucker. "That's all he was interested in. Even on his PlayStation, it's nothing but football."

Willie Tucker said his son spent some time with him in Atlanta over the years, and they would take in a few Atlanta Falcons football games.

"He wanted to be like Ray Lewis," Tucker said. "He wanted to be better than Ray Lewis."

Lewis is the All-Pro linebacker for Baltimore who was the Super Bowl XXXV MVP when the Ravens beat the New York Giants in Tampa in January 2001.

Tucker said he and his son would spend hours together talking about or watching football.

"That's all he wanted to do," he said. "He wanted to be a football player."

Tuesday was a day of tears for the football players and students at Leesburg.

"We are a very, very close football team," head coach Charles Nassar said, his eyes still red and swollen. "It's been very difficult on the kids."

The freshman, junior varsity and varsity team members were told about the accident at the beginning of school Tuesday, McDaniel said.

"They took it hard," McDaniel said. "They were in shock."

McDaniel, who was notified about the accident late Monday, said he was working in his office until 2 a.m. preparing statements for teachers and students as well as lining up counselors.

The principal said Willie was one of the most popular students in the halls of Leesburg High.

"Willie was a smile with legs," McDaniel said. "He had a smile for everyone. Everybody, the teachers, the administrators, the students, they all knew him and liked him."

McDaniel said he is confident about Howard's recovery.

"Howard can do anything he wants to do," said McDaniel, who has known the teen for about seven years because he was principal at Leesburg Middle School when Howard attended there.

Nassar, who is also an English teacher, was still visibly upset late Tuesday after spending the morning talking to students.

"I just told them to react any way they need to react," he said. "They don't have to cry, they can be angry. They can scream. We would be there screaming with them."

Willie and Howard were starting linebackers for the Yellow Jackets and were on their way home from Groveland, where they went to watch South Lake take on Crystal River. That game had been postponed Friday night because of the weather, and rescheduled for Monday.

"My coaches and I went to scout another game," Nassar said. "I reminded the team [Monday] about the South Lake game in case they wanted to go."

South Lake is a district and geographic rival, Nassar said.

"Most of us coaches know each other and the players know each other, too," he said.

For some unknown reason, the 1996 Chevrolet Beretta Willie was driving went off the road on the right side of the northbound lane. When Willie tried to get back on the pavement, he overcorrected, sending the car into the median, according to the FHP report.

The Beretta made a 180-degree turn and came out backward but still heading north in the southbound lane of U.S. 27 and into the path of a Jeep, the report said.

The two people in the 1999 Jeep were taken to Leesburg Regional Medical Center. The driver, Virginia Hazel, 60, and her husband, Frank Hoffman, 72, of Leesburg, were treated and released.

The two athletes had apparently stopped at a McDonald's in Clermont on their way home because a receipt from the restaurant stamped at 8:31 p.m. was found in the car, said FHP Sgt. Jorge Delahoz.

Delahoz said it did not appear that they were eating when the accident occurred.

Nassar canceled football practice Tuesday. The team travels to Mount Dora to take on the Hurricanes on Friday.

"They asked me what they wanted to do about Friday's game," said Christine Tucker. "I told them, 'Play it. That's what Willie would want you to do.' "

On Saturday, she said, they will return to the football field one more time.

"We're going to have a memorial on the football field," she said. "That's where it should be."

Jim Buynak
Orlando Sentinel

Leesburg mourns for a favorite son

September 14, 2003

LEESBURG -- As his teammates lined up behind the hearse, a bell began tolling and Willie Roy Tucker Jr. was carried from the football field in a silver casket Saturday morning.

It marked the end of an intensely emotional week for students and staff at Leesburg High School since they learned that Willie, 17, died in a car accident late Monday.

Willie's teammate and passenger, Howard Russell, 17, was critically injured in the accident. Howard was listed in fair condition at Orlando Regional Medical Center on Saturday.

More than 1,000 family members, friends and strangers filed onto the Leesburg High School field to bid farewell to the stalwart linebacker and popular student.

Willie, known as "Tuck" and "Man," was remembered for his friendship and dedication to football.

He had hoped to hone his skills on the gridiron into a college scholarship and eventually into the National Football League, the Rev. Sidney Brock of the First Baptist Church of Leesburg, told the crowd.

The same sentiments were repeated by several friends who stood up to talk about the teenager.

Football was his life, and he was doing the right things to become a success at the life, Leesburg coach Charles Nassar said.

"Willie was the ultimate teammate and brother in our football family," Nassar said.

The youngster, who turned 17 last month, would do anything the coaches would ask and more, he said.

"He would show me his report card every time they came out," Nassar said. "And that was without me asking to see it."

On the field, he added, Willie was becoming a force.

"He was strong, fast and nasty," Nassar said. "That's a great combination for a football player."

One of the most heart-wrenching moments of the ceremony was when Christina Leggett sang "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday."

Several football players who were seated to the side of the casket broke down in tears.

The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating the accident, but it appears the youngster may have fallen asleep at the wheel, troopers said.

Howard told investigators that he had fallen asleep in the passenger seat but was jolted awake when the car went off the road.

Howard said he looked over and saw Willie also sleeping and yelled for him to wake up. When Willie's head popped up, he turned the steering wheel too far and too quick, losing control of the car.

Monday had been a long day for the pair, even if they were 17-year-olds. They had spent the entire day in school, went to football practice and then drove to Groveland that night to watch a football game.

Leesburg High School Principal Charles McDaniel said he hopes Saturday's ceremony will help Willie's friends and teammates move on.

"This was good for Willie," McDaniel said as the last car from the funeral procession left the field on its way to Lone Oak Cemetery for the burial. "It was good for us, too. A good way to say goodbye."

Jim Buynak
Orlando Sentinel

[Return to News Page]