Former Lady Vol and Bradley Central Star Brittany Jackson Recalls Legacy of Pat Summitt

Cleveland, TN-(WDEF-TV) Two years ago Thursday, Alzheimer’s took the life of legendary Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt. We caught up with former Lady Vol and Bradley Central star Brittany Jackson, who discussed Summitt’s legacy, her charity fund-raiser for Summitt, and how Alzheimer’s has now hit Jackson’s family as well.

Said Jackson:”This week has been hard you know with just Pat. You still don’t want to even. It’s hard to believe that it’s like five or six years ago, she was still coaching.

The first time that I really interacted with her was when Candace Parker got her jersey retired, and she didn’t recognize me. I remember walking up to her, and she just. It was the I know I’m supposed to know you, but I don’t. I ran immediately to the locker room and really got emotional. I’ve been to all of these charity events. I wanted to bring something here. It just was the timing that she announced she was sick. So I decided to do it for the Pat Summitt Foundation, and I thought as much as she has given me to give back at all.

The respect that Pat got everywhere we traveled. I don’t care. We played at Duke and packed it out, and those fans after the game are wanting meet Pat. She has so much respect all over the country.

That was some of the best memories. Just hanging out at her house when she cooked for us. The sweet tea. I say it until this day, there’s no one that can beat it.

She wants to make you mentally tough. She plays a lot of mind games and different things like that, which you appreciate more after you graduate. Yeah when it comes to academics, you have a 100-percent graduation rate. You don’t want to be that one percent. I’ll never forget my freshman year. I was literally three minutes late to a class. At one o’clock at practice, I had to meet her up in her office, and she knew about it because the teachers respected her that much.

It was about a month after Pat passed away when my mother was diagnosed. Thankful to Tyler (Summitt) and Adam (Waller). Adam is like a son to Pat. Got me in with Pat’s doctor in Knoxville. It has been a blessing.”