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The bonds that unite brothers aren't built overnight. For Kris and Nick Burd, it was something that happened every day.

After school the two would run over to Matoaca Park to play sports, the younger Kris tagging along with his brother and his friends, who were three years older.

Later in life, those bonds held the family together through tragedy and recovery.

Five years ago this week, Nick was in a car accident that left him paralyzed, with broken ribs and a broken neck. The diagnosis was bleak.

Three days later, Kris broke his collarbone playing football for Matoaca.

Thinking back to the time, their mother, Terry Burd, said it was "devastating."

With Nick, a college basketball prospect, confined to a wheelchair, it was up to Kris to keep the family name going.

So earlier this year, when coach Mike London asked his players to consider the question: "Who do you play for?" the answer was easy.

"I pretty much play for him," Kris said. "Knowing that he can't do it physically, so I'm just trying to put on a good effort for him."

Tomorrow afternoon, Nick will be watching from the stands, as he almost always does.

. . .

Growing up, Kris learned early on the athletic skills needed to run with an older crowd.

"Kris would always be playing with Nick and his friends," Terry said. "He would try to keep up with them."

He wasn't the only one. Of the group of about 15 that played regularly, three were younger, and all now play Division I sports. Kris is a wide receiver for the University of Virginia., Patrick Mills plays football at Norfolk State and Aaron Mitchell plays basketball at Longwood. Kris never saw himself as anything but a football player, though.

"Basketball was fun for me, and I could see myself, if I put the time into it, being able to figure that out," he said. "But I always had a love for football and knew growing up football was going to be my thing."

Meanwhile Nick became a basketball standout on the local AAU circuit and was headed to play at VMI when the accident happened. His brother took the news hard.

"Kris was just devastated," Terry said. "We all were, but especially Kris, because they were so close."

. . .

The lessons of life were learned the hard way in the Burd family, then passed down between brothers.

It started with the oldest brother, Dejuan Hutchins, who played football as well. He played for Liberty for a short time before being dismissed from the school.

"He didn't have a role model, or somebody before him to really build a path," Kris said. "So he used to tell me and my brother when we were younger, to go to college, stay focused, and that books come first."

Nick was next, but his career ended after his accident. That left Kris as the final prospect.

He credits his mom for creating a great home atmosphere. Terry works for the City of Hopewell.

"I love my mom," Burd said. "My dad has always been a figure in my life, and our bond never broke, but I spent most of my time with my mom."

For Terry, the memories from five years ago remain, but they've been replaced by happy moments since then -- a fundraising basketball game for Nick, and Kris getting a scholarship to play for Virginia.

He's having a standout junior season with 752 receiving yards and five touchdowns, both team highs. His season-long was a 76-yard touchdown catch against Florida State.

Nick has been at Scott Stadium cheering for all the home games from his wheelchair, while Terry has made it to all the road games, including a weekend trip to USC.

He's also returned to school at John Tyler Community College. He ultimately wants to be a teacher and basketball coach -- he hopes to work with a Petersburg AAU team this season.

And he's happy to take credit for his younger brother's success as he watches the family name live on at the collegiate level.

"I taught him everything he knows," Nick said with a laugh.

In the Burd family, that's what brothers do.

Article via Timesdispatch.com

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