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Marion Barber III, 38, running back for the Dallas Cowboys from 2005-2010, died last week in his Frisco home. Police and Barber’s family are still reeling as experts try to determine the cause of death.
Meanwhile, Barber’s friends and fans from Oak Cliff, where he reportedly was training to become a professional boxer, gathered last Saturday for a candlelight vigil at Seaton Park. Smash Da Topic’s Shenita Cleveland live streamed the affair.
In attendance was champion boxer Charles Hatley, who was Barber’s good friend. He says they talked every day.
“We were like brothers after the first time we went running together here [at Seaton Park],” Hatley told Cleveland.
While Barber’s ferocity on the field earned him the nickname “Marion the Barbarian,” the weekend attendees recall a gentle, loving and gracious friend-to-all who “would give you the shirt off his back,” cook dinner for visitors, “play with your kids” and who worked very hard to overcome the challenges he faced after leaving the Cowboys.
Barber’s life after NFL retirement reportedly was marked by concerns for his mental health. That prompted speculation about CTE, possible brain trauma caused during his years in the sport, but he requested in his will that his brain not be donated for further study. In addition to his boxing aspirations, MB3 learned to play piano and guitar, former coach Bill Parcells and other colleagues told the Star Telegram.
Former Cowboy Tony Romo recalls that his teammate could bring the whole locker room together with his charisma. “He had a megawatt smile that could turn your day around in an instant,” Romo said in a public statement. “I loved being around Marion, whose spirit touched more people than he ever realized.”
