The life of linebacker Jerry Brown was honored on Tuesday at a private memorial service in Dallas, where many Cowboys players, coaches and other staff members were on hand to remember their fallen teammate.
Defensive tackle Josh Brent, the driver of the vehicle in the tragic accident, was not only in attendance, but it came at the request of Brown's mother Stacey Jackson. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said his private plane picked up Jackson and other family members Tuesday morning. Jones said at Jackson's request, Brent met them at the Dallas airport and rode with them to the memorial service.
Brown and Brent were college teammate at Illinois, and Brown lived with Brent after he joined the Cowboys on the practice squad earlier this season.
The Cowboys presented Jackson with the game ball of the Cowboys' emotional 20-19 win over the Bengals on Sunday, along with a customary hard-hat award that they give out after victories to the players of the game.
Jackson courageously spoke to the team and encouraged the players and coaches to keep supporting Brent, who faces intoxication manslaughter charges. Brent, who spent more than 24 hours in an Irving, Texas jail from early Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon, went to the Cowboys' Valley Ranch complex on Monday and met with players, trainers and even head coach Jason Garrett.
"We're going to support Josh 100 percent in every way that we can," Garrett said. "The players will do that, the coaches will do that and everyone in our organization will do that. We're trying to help him get through today. It's a very, very difficult and challenging situation for him. We all love him and we're going to be here for him."
