They say “Once a Hog, always a Hog.”
In a time of great need, this is proving to be the case as Razorback Nation steps up to serve one of their own.
At least 10 former Razorbacks have donated $1,450 to help De’Anthony Curtis, an El Dorado High assistant football coach who was badly burned last weekend. Many of the Hogs were teammates of Curtis, who played for Arkansas 2008-2011.
Their contributions are part of a heartwarming groundswell of financial support going toward a GoFundMe campaign. In less than two days, across Friday and Saturday, 219 people donated nearly $15,000 for Curtis’ medical bills and living expenses.
The money is also going his wife, Ashlee, and their two children.
“I am personally humbled by seeing how much support this precious family is receiving,” organizer Sarah Hatley wrote. “Thank you to everyone that has donated. Ashlee is very touched and says that it warms her heart to see how many people he has touched.”
Below are the known former Hogs who have contributed to the cause for De’Athony Curtis.
Marvin Caston
Position as a Hog: Fullback
Amount contributed: $400
High school class of 1996
(Senior director of development of the Razorback Foundation)
Casey Dick
Quarterback
$250
c/o 2005
(currently head coach of Fayetteville High School)
Broderick Green
Running back
$150
c/o 2008
Grant Cook
Offensive lineman
$100
c/o 2007
Alan D’Appollonio
Punter
$100
c/o 2011
Seth Oxner
Offensive lineman
$100
c/o 2007
Dylan Breeding
Kicker
$100
c/o 2009
Travis Swanson
Offensive lineman
$100
c/o 2009
Colby Berna
Offensive lineman
$50
c/o 2009
“DeArriud” Howard
This is probably is a too-quickly-typed typo spelling of “De’ Arrius Howard”, the class of 2001 running back out of West Memphis.
$100
Here’s Howard talking about the former Razorback quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who recently passed away:
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See Curtis’ GoFundMe campaign here
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Other Arkansas sports figures step up, too
This isn’t just about Razorbacks helping, either.
One person who chipped in is Louis Whorton.
This may be the same Louis Whorton as the legendary head coach of the UA-Fort Smith women’s basketball team. Whorton was the NJCAA National Coach of the Year in 1994-95, leading the Lady Lions to a national championship and an undefeated season.
Likewise, Buck James, the head coach of Bryant, donated $100. James is a legend in Arkansas prep football, having coached four different schools to state titles — including Camden Fairview in 2012.
I’m sure there are quite a few more I have missed as well. I did note that a person named Jimmy Johnson donated $100. Whether that’s the same Jimmy Johnson that made fun of Janis Joplin before playing for the Hogs and coaching the Cowboys is a whole other matter, though.
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Below hear Buck James talk about De’Anthony Curtis:
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