Gerry Bertier

For other people named Bertier, see Bertier (disambiguation).

Gerry Bertier
T. C. Williams Titans – No. 42
PositionLinebacker
ClassSenior
Personal information
Born:(1953-08-20)August 20, 1953
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Died:March 20, 1981(1981-03-20) (aged 27)
Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.
Career history
High schoolHammond (Alexandria, Virginia)
T. C. Williams (Alexandria, Virginia)
Career highlights and awards
  • Virginia state champion (1971)
  • National Prep School Player of the Year (1971)
  • T. C. Williams Defensive Player of the Year (1971)
  • First-team All-American (1971)
  • First-team All-State (1971)
  • First-team All-Region (1971)
  • T. C. Williams Athletic Hall of Fame
  • T. C. Williams No. 42 retired

Gerry Bertier (/ˈɡɛri/ GHERR-ee; August 20, 1953 – March 20, 1981) was a high school American football player and Paralympian.[1] He became known for his participation on the 1971 Virginia State Champion football T. C. Williams High School team, and their portrayal in the Disney film Remember the Titans. Bertier was also the nephew of Howie Livingston. After the conclusion of the 1971 season, Bertier was involved in an automobile crash that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Despite this injury, Bertier attended Northern Virginia Community College and remained an active athlete, participating in the Paralympics.[2] In 2006, Bertier's family started the "Bertier #42 Foundation", dedicated to raising money for research on spinal cord injuries.[3] There is also a gymnasium at Alexandria City High School (formerly T.C. Williams High School) that bears his name.

  1. ^ "Gerry Bertier". 71 Original Titans. Archived from the original on July 30, 2008.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference cooper was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Medicine: Foundation continues work of Gerry Bertier". Virginia Commonwealth University. June 18, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2018.