Autumn Years Fall 2024

“Black, white, we grew up loving each other.

College. He grew up in Englewood’s Fourth Ward and remembers growing up in a house full of friends and rela tives who regarded each other as broth ers and a sister. “All the kids in the neighborhood came there,” Bruce says. “We were all close-knit.” They were also guided by adults who had high standards and insisted on good behav

We blended and looked out for each other in the Fourth Ward. I was blessed.”

ior—not that everyone was well-behaved all the time. Bruce smiles as he admits that “I was a good boy who sometimes did bad things.” He remembers those days as a time of harmo ny—“Black, white, we grew up loving each other. We blended and looked out for each other in the

After leaving the Jets, he went on to get a bachelor’s degree in sociology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. His first professional efforts were in the family real estate business, but his goals changed when he learned about pro grams to benefit young students. Building character is a goal of the Heroes & Cool Kids program, which matches former professional athletes with high school students who then mentor fifth- and sixth-grade students in school districts the professionals at tended. In addition to former profes sional athletes, adult mentors include business or sports professionals (such as high school coaches) of character. From the New York Jets website, we learn that Harper founded this not-for-profit pro gram in 1988. Bruce is pleased that the program involves new people and that the train ers bring new ideas and changes to the organization. He does not go into class rooms any more but is involved with running the program. He credits the continuing work of Susan Rudolph, the executive director and co-founder of Heroes & Cool Kids, as well as other staff members. They welcome people to join their team.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NFL

Fourth Ward. I was blessed.” He recalls the adults in his family as having good character, people who instilled that trait in the children. His family did not tol erate nonsense and had discipline. Al though he has modeled his life after the example of the late Coach Baldwin, the people he recalls as good examples were from more than the football world. He sought out and admired people of char acter, people who did Godly things. After graduating from Kutztown, he pursued his dream of playing pro fessional football, getting an undrafted spot on the Jets, when they gave him the 42 jersey. “I learned kickoff return and running back positions in the Jets’ summer camp in order to make the team,” Bruce says. He played those po

sitions for the Jets from 1977 to 1985. Challenges included brutally hot sum mers and freezing winter temperatures. He was knocked out three times during his career. He notes that today’s young athletes have much better care and are better trained. Citing his career-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament, he says “Now you can come back from it.” Of his health challenges, including a heart attack, he notes that if you get through it, it builds character. He reflects on the story of another football player who was facing a fatal health problem and knew his time was limited. “He was at peace with dying, and I had to examine myself.”

26 AUTUMN YEARS I FALL 2024