Ted Jackson Knihy

This masterpiece of dogged reporting will astonish and touch your heart. The story of football star Jackie Wallace's struggles and quest for redemption is both unsettling and uplifting. It chronicles the transformative friendship between a fallen NFL player and a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, offering a glimpse into the precarious world of homelessness and the impact of systemic racism and poverty in New Orleans. In 1990, while covering homelessness for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Ted Jackson met a drug addict under a bridge. After taking his photo, the man revealed he had played in three Super Bowls, igniting a thirty-year relationship between them. Ted learned about Jackie’s rise to fame and subsequent fall into addiction and homelessness. Ted chronicles Jackie's life from his teenage years through his NFL career and the devastating loss of his mother, which led to his struggles. He reflects on their enduring friendship and the vulnerability of such a bond, questioning whether Jackie can recover or is destined to roam the streets. Tragic yet triumphant, this account provides a rare look into homelessness and its ties to racism and poverty. Lyrical and evocative, it tells a timeless tale of loss, redemption, and hope, showcasing the miracle of the human spirit through the lens of a deep and honest friendship.