For Release: March, 2009

Former NFL Running Back Shares His Story in New Memoir:

Why Did It Happen To Me

Elgin Davis’ new book takes readers through early childhood adversity, glorious times with the New England Patriots and the despair of losing a friend to a murderer’s gun

FLORIDA -- (March, 2009) -- Elgin Davis grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, in a home where material possessions were few and where addiction created stress, but where parental love and support were abundant.  As a young athlete his talents were evident and with hard work he made it to the University of Central Florida where, as a running back, he broke school records and made a name for himself.  His dedication to his sport paid off when he and teammate Ted Wilson were the first UCF football players to be drafted into the NFL.  Elgin was going to the New England Patriots.  His dreams all seemed to be coming true - he had made it.  Or so he thought.

In his newly released memoirs titled, Why Did It Happen to Me, Elgin Davis describes a life with a different path and ending.  There was the glory of wearing the red, white and blue of the Patriots and of taking the field before thousands of cheering fans, to be sure.  There were special moments when he and his closest teammates would stand together, looking around the stadiums and marveling at their great fortune.  “It was,” says Elgin,” one of the highlights of my life.  It exposed me to a world that was previously unknown.”

But the stress on his body of playing professional football at this high level took its toll.  Injuries plagued the running back and he faced a dilemma: use cortisone to numb the pain and speed recovery so he could get back onto the field or decline the steroid and lose his place to another player.  He chose the cortisone, legal but potentially harmful, but the muscle damage was done.  The scars remained.  His once promising football career was cut short as a result of the lasting impact on his leg and after several seasons in the Canadian and World Football Leagues, he was forced to retire from the game he loved.

The thrill of playing professional football was further darkened, seeming to be secondary, when his best friend and former Patriots teammate Darryl Usher, was shot and killed.  As a free agent, Usher had moved to the Cleveland Browns and then the San Diego Chargers and he then found his place with the Phoenix Cardinals.  This wide receiver, who had been a star at the University of Illinois, had finished a strong year with the Cardinals, when in February of 1990 at the age of 25, he lost his life brutally to a man with a gun. 

Davis got the news about the murder while in the hospital room where his own wife had just given birth to their first daughter.  “The loss of my great friend Darryl was devastating,” said Davis, “He was an inspiration to me on the field and together we were ready to conquer the NFL.  We had made plans to work together and be a part of each other’s families.  His loss turned my world upside down.”

Elgin Davis’ life seemed to be a fairy tale no longer.  In Why Did It Happen to Me, Elgin talks about his own downward spiral, descending to depression and alcohol abuse.  But this was not where Elgin would stay and he battled back, calling on the lessons he’d learned from his parents, building on early teachings of faith to find his own spiritual base and power, and facing his challenges with the same tenaciousness and hard work that got him to the NFL in the first place. 

To rebuild his life, Elgin explains in the memoirs how he turned to the Islamic faith and embraced its principles.  “I was plummeting into the abyss of hell,” he says, “but the principles that were engrained within the religion of Islam resurrected me to my highest fidelity and I became a beacon of light.  I devoted myself to the ministry.  There was little time for anything else but I was closer to happiness than any other time.”

In Why Did it Happen to Me, Elgin has crafted a story whose messages of hope, faith and triumph over adversity will resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds that have faced and, in these difficult economic times, have their own challenges.  Set among the bright lights of Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts and the small towns in central Florida, the memoirs take the reader on an adventure whose ending is still being written.

“This book is targeted toward people of all ages and stages in life.  I bring to it the positive disposition that comes from a deep love of self that was embedded in me at a very early age by my parents.” Davis explained, “They prepared me physically, mentally and spiritually for the challenges I would face in my life and now I want to share that strength with others who seek a better life.”

About Elgin Davis

Elgin currently resides in Florida where he works in real estate.  He is the proud father of three daughters.  He is a frequent guest speaker at events, where he brings his positive and inspirational messages about the importance of dedication, hard work and perseverance through adversity to audiences of all types.  Why Did It Happen to Me can be purchased online through his website at www.elgindavis.com, where more information about Elgin and his career are also available. 

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