James Earl Jones Had A Delayed Diagnosis Of Type 2 Diabetes Decades Before His Death
James Earl Jones' exact cause of death remains unknown while details of his type 2 diabetes diagnosis resurface.
James Earl Jones passed away earlier this month at the age of 93. His cause of death remains unknown while details of his type 2 diabetes diagnosis resurface.
The EGOT recipient lived with diabetes for many years before his Sept. 9 passing. Jones opened up about his late diabetes diagnosis during a 2016 appearance on The Rachael Ray Show. He was already well into his 60s when he learned he had been living with the chronic disease for years.
“I fell asleep on a bench in the middle of the gymnasium one day,” Jones explained. “And a doctor who was there said, ‘That’s not normal,’ and he encouraged me to go get checked out.”
After a visit to the doctor, a lab test confirmed that Jones had type 2 diabetes. He admits the diagnosis came as a shock and “hit me like a thunderbolt,” he toldHealthline at the time. But it eventually led to a complete lifestyle change for Jones and his entire family.
“I realized when I was diagnosed with diabetes, my whole family became diabetics,” he shared. “Not that they suffer the same things that I do, but they understand, and we have to work as a family in living with diabetes. They became my support group, as well as my doctors.”
It was an illness that ran in his family, with his mother and some other family members having had type 2 diabetes. Jones also knew that certain ethnic groups were more at risk than others.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38.1 million American adults had diabetes in 2021. Over one-fifth of these individuals were living with undiagnosed diabetes. The highest rate of diagnosed diabetes is found among American Indian or Alaska Native adults, followed by Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults, with white adults having the lowest rate.
Jones was diagnosed in his 60s, a common age group among new diabetes diagnoses.
“Diabetes and other age-related diseases like obesity and abnormal cholesterol are more prevalent as we get older,” said Noa Tal, MD, an endocrinologist of the Pituitary Disorders Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California.
It’s also not uncommon for diabetes to go unnoticed before finally being diagnosed.
“Unfortunately, [type 2 diabetes] does go under the radar sometimes,” Tal adds.
Once Jones was aware of his diabetes, it took help from his wife and son to keep him on track and accountable for his eating habits.
“There were tough changes, like not having my favorite strawberry shortcake,” he shared. “My wife and son helped me, keeping a close eye on everything and being watchdogs. They’ve both helped keep me in line.”
Jones was best known for his roles in Field of Dreams, The Lion King, and Star Wars. He served as a trailblazer in Hollywood and became one of the first African American actors to play a recurring role in a daytime drama in 1965 (As the World Turns).
He enjoyed a career that spanned well into his 80s and earned numerous accolades, including two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He also received an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theatre was renamed in his honor.
Nelly Sued By St. Lunatics Over 2001 Album ‘Free City’
Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and City Spud are suing Nelly after accusing him of cutting them out of the credits and the royalty payments from the album.
After releasing a hit single, Country Grammar, St. Louis native Nelly gathered his friends, formed a group, the St. Lunatics, and recorded music. Now, his former group members are suing him, accusing him of not rightfully compensating them for the work that the group did with him.
According to Billboard, the former group members filed a lawsuit against Cornell Hayes, AKA Nelly, stating that he left them out of proper crediting as well as royalty payments for the album that they did together.
The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court on Sept. 18. The album they are referring to is Free City, which was released a year after the success of Nelly’s hit single, Country Grammar. After being assured by Nelly that they would be properly compensated and credited for their work, it wasn’t an issue at the time. Yet, they felt “manipulated” as the artist had them thinking that they would be paid for the work done on the album.
“Every time plaintiffs confronted defendant Haynes [he] would assure them as ‘friends’ he would never prevent them from receiving the financial success they were entitled to,” the lawsuit reads. “Unfortunately, plaintiffs, reasonably believing that their friend and former band member would never steal credit for writing the original compositions, did not initially pursue any legal remedies.”
The members of St. Lunatics were Ali (Ali Jones), Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan), and City Spud (Lavell Webb). Although another member, Slo Down (Corey Edwards), was part of the group, he is not named as a plaintiff.
The rappers claim that they were more involved in the writing of songs but weren’t sufficiently credited. That includes Nelly’s first hit, Country Grammar where he and producer Jason Epperson are the only writers listed. They also claimed that during the time of the recording, Nelly “privately and publicly acknowledged that plaintiffs were the lyric writers” and “promised to ensure that plaintiffs received writing and publishing credit.” Yet, over 20 years later, they “discovered that defendant Haynes had been lying to them the entire time.”
After hiring an attorney in 2021 to find out what was really on the books with the Universal Music Publishing Group, they were rebuffed by Nelly’s attorneys, who “expressly repudiated” their claims to credit.
“Plaintiffs had no alternative but to commence legal proceedings against Defendants,” the lawsuit reads.
Former Super Bowl Player Arrested After Allegedly Assaulting 82-Year-Old At Gym
Former New England Patriots player Patrick Pass is scheduled to appear in court in December.
A retired NFL player was arrested after it was alleged that he assaulted an 82-year-old man while both of them were at a local Planet Fitness in August. According to WJAR, the incident took place in North Providence, R.I., where police officers arrested former New England Patriots fullback Patrick Pass on Sept. 18.
The assault allegedly took place at the gym on Aug. 28. Pass purportedly struck 82-year-old Juan Muriel after the two argued over the use of exercise equipment, police said. Muriel fell to the floor and suffered injuries to his back.
#Patriots Super Bowl legend Patrick Pass was arrested after assaulting an elderly man at Planet Fitness:
“Pass allegedly shoved the man, causing him to fall to the ground, after an apparent argument over a piece of exercise equipment, an investigation revealed.”
WPRI reported that surveillance video revealed that Muriel went to the machine to wipe it down, thinking it was unoccupied, and that’s when the argument with Pass, who was standing near the equipment, started, according to North Providence Police Chief Alfredo Ruggiero Jr.
“I believe the victim thought the machine was vacant, meaning he thought he was able to use it,” Ruggiero said.
Authorities state that Pass is facing a charge of assaulting a man over 60 years of age, causing bodily injury, and disorderly conduct. According to court documents, the former football player was released on $10,000 personal recognizance at his arraignment.
Police said he was scheduled for a court appearance in December.
A spokesperson from Planet Fitness said:
“At Planet Fitness, the safety and security of our members is our top priority, and we take these types of incidents extremely seriously. The membership of the person in question was cancelled, and the local franchise group has been working closely with the authorities on their ongoing investigation. For additional information, we ask that you please reach out to the local authorities.”
A reporter from WJAR spoke to Pass at his home, and he responded, “Look at me, do you think I’m going to do that? Really? Please, come on,” said Pass. “I have better things to do than try to assault someone.”
The U.S. State Department announced on Sept. 18 that a new system will be rolled out that will bypass the dated method that required passport holders to print out a form and mail in a check. In a statement, the agency says the new way will be more efficient. “By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible,” the statement read.
“Thanks to increased staffing, technological advancements, and a host of other improvements, the average routine passport is being processed today in roughly one-third the time as at the same point last summer, and well under the advertised six to eight weeks processing times.”
The public beta version of the new process was released in June 2024 and is available 24/7. However, for now, only adults and those living in a U.S. state or territory will be able to renew their passports online.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages led to extensive wait times of up to 18 weeks for passport renewal as demand dropped. In 2023, as travel limitations diminished, the demand increased and further strained the system. It wasn’t until late 2023 that the department announced the processing time was back to normal. Data from the agency revealed that 48% of Americans had passports in 2023, a massive increase from 5% in 1990.
According to the Associated Press, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter hopes to expand the passport renewal process for Americans living abroad, those looking to renew a second passport, and children’s passports. “This is not going to be the last thing that we do,” she said.
“We want to see how this goes, and then we’ll start looking at ways to continue to make this service available to more American citizens in the coming months and years.”
She did say that regardless of the new process, the processing time is still six to eight weeks. “The benefit of online passport renewal is that it’s a more convenient service,” Bitter said. “We don’t expect to have a different service standard for people who apply online versus people who apply by mail. We just want to make sure that we give the American people a choice to be able to do either.”
Travelers will still have to pay to renew their passport through a secure website. A charge of $130 will stay in place.
Civil Rights Groups Pressure Major Corporations To Keep Their DEI Programs Alive
Hopefully this will work....
Several civil rights organizations wrote a letter to the CEOs of major corporations pleading with them to keep their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs alive amid pressure from online critics and litigation threats, Associated Press reports.
The letter was sent on Sept. 19 and signed by 19 organizations calling for the leaders of Fortune 1000 corporations to stay committed to DEI initiatives, claiming those that don’t risk shirking their trust and responsibility to employees, consumers, and shareholders. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, policies, and practices make business sense, and they’re broadly popular among the public, consumers, and employees,” the letter read.
“But a small, well-funded, and extreme group of right-wing activists is attempting to pressure companies into abandoning their DEI programs.”
Groups taking a stand include the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Their words target companies such as Ford Motors, John Deere, and Harley-Davidson, which recently announced they would pull back on DEI policies following pressure from conservative activists.
In August 2024, Harley-Davidson announced they trashed their policy in April 2024, claiming the company no longer has “hiring quotas” or a “supplier diversity spend goal.” However, in a statement, they said they are committed to listening to their company base. “We remain committed to listening to all members of our community as we continue on our journey together as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world,” the statement read.
Black business owners have openly expressed concerns about how that lack of policies will affect their businesses; some highlighted the Fearless Fund. The funds, geared toward Black women entrepreneurs, faced a lawsuit by a conservative group, claiming its $20K grant contest to support Black women entrepreneurs was “discriminatory.” Tech CEO Barbara Jones-Brown feels the lawsuits are strategic.
“There are grant programs that are giving people $100,000, $200,000, and $500,000. They were giving [$20,000], and they get attacked,” Jones-Brown said.
“It’s all calculated. All of this stuff is strategic. They know exactly what they’re doing to dismantle all of this.”
The organizations who published the letter share similar sentiments. According to CNBC, Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinsons, the corporations cutting DEI only hurt themselves. She expressed how LGBTQ+ consumers have $1.4 trillion of buying power and that moving away from DEI is the “wrong decision for business.” “Consumers are two times more likely to want to buy from brands that support the community,” she said.
“This is, bottom line, the best thing to do for businesses, and that’s why I think that we’re seeing so much energy from employees, from consumers, and shareholders starting to push back on these decisions.”
The groups also claimed companies rolling back DEI commitments are cutting their Corporate Equality Index scores by 25 points. On a 100-point scale, Brown-Forman, Molson Coors, and Ford went from a perfect score of 100 to 75. Tractor Supply & John Deere dropped from 95 to 70, and Harley-Davidson’s took a massive hit, from 45 to 20.
Fiyori: The Black-Owned Brand Redefining Vodka With First-Ever Organic Hemp Infusion
Fiyori Vodka, the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka, is transforming the spirits industry.
Fiyori Vodka is rewriting the rules of the spirits industry with its unique blend of luxury and wellness.
Founded by Clarence Darkwa and COO Jay Black, Fiyori is the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka. It offers a smooth, refined drinking experience coupled with the health benefits of organic hemp seeds. As Black entrepreneurs in a predominantly white industry, Clarence and Jay have overcome challenges and broken barriers and crafted a product that sets itself apart and leads a new wave of wellness-conscious spirits.
BLACK ENTERPRISE sat down with the founders to explore their journey, the innovation behind their brand, and how Fiyori is poised to disrupt the market.
BE: What inspired you to create Fiyori, and how did the idea of an organic hemp-infused vodka come about?
Clarence & Jay: The inspiration behind Fiyori came from a desire to create a high-quality vodka that not only tasted exceptional but also offered health benefits. Hemp seeds, known for their rich nutritional profile—full of essential fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants—were a natural choice. We wanted to fuse wellness with indulgence, and that’s how the idea of an organic hemp-infused vodka was born. Fiyori became a product that combines the best of both worlds: premium vodka and the benefits of organic hemp seeds while maintaining a smooth, sophisticated taste.
Can you walk us through the process of developing the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka? What challenges did you face along the way?
Creating the world’s first organic hemp-infused vodka was an exciting journey. The process began with sourcing high-quality, organic hemp seeds that met our rigorous standards for sustainability and purity. We experimented with the infusion process to achieve the perfect balance of flavor without compromising the vodka’s smoothness. One of the biggest challenges was navigating regulatory hurdles and educating consumers about the difference between hemp and cannabis. Despite these obstacles, we remained committed to crafting a unique product showcasing hemp seeds’ natural benefits.
Why was it important for you to ensure that Fiyori’s vodka was not just hemp-infused but also organic? How do these choices reflect your brand’s values?
From the start, we were committed to creating a vodka that aligned with values like quality, sustainability, and wellness. The decision to use organic ingredients was rooted in our belief that consumers deserve a clean, pure product without harmful additives. Hemp seeds have numerous health benefits, and we wanted to preserve those qualities through an organic process. This dedication to integrity reflects Fiyori’s mission to offer a premium, health-conscious vodka while supporting sustainable farming practices.
How do you think the infusion of hemp sets your vodka apart from others on the market, and what has been the consumer response so far?
The infusion of hemp definitely sets Fiyori apart in many ways. It adds a subtle nutty flavor and offers potential health benefits like boosting heart health, reducing inflammation, and protecting neurological functions. Consumers have been thrilled to discover a vodka that not only tastes smooth but also may contribute to their overall well-being. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many customers surprised by how smooth our vodka is and delighted by the potential health perks.
In an industry where tradition often reigns supreme, how has Fiyori embraced innovation while still honoring the craft of vodka making?
While we respect traditional vodka-making techniques, we’ve embraced innovation through our hemp seed infusion and focus on organic ingredients. By using state-of-the-art equipment and sustainable practices, we’ve created a product that’s both modern and respectful of the craft. Our goal is to enhance the vodka-making process without overshadowing its roots, blending tradition with new trends in wellness and sustainability.
Looking at the current trends in the spirits industry, where do you see Fiyori fitting in, and what do you believe the future holds for hemp-infused spirits?
Fiyori fits perfectly into the growing trend of health-conscious and organic spirits. As more people recognize the benefits of hemp and as regulations continue to evolve, we believe hemp-infused spirits will become more popular. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this movement, leading efforts to educate consumers and push boundaries in the premium spirits industry.
What advice would you give aspiring Black entrepreneurs looking to break intothe spirits industry or any other highly competitive market?
Our advice to aspiring Black entrepreneurs is to stay true to your unique vision. Your personal experiences and perspective can set you apart. Build strong networks, prioritize quality and innovation, and stay persistent in the face of challenges. The journey won’t be easy, but with hard work, community support, and a clear mission, success is within reach.
To learn more about Fiyori, visit: www.fiyorivodka.com.
The Voices Of Haitian People Must Be Loud, Proud, And Fearless
This Haitian-American author vows to set aside her fear and use her voice and privilege
Written by Francesca Momplaisir
It always strikes me when I’m at a loss for words as a writer. It only happens when I’m afraid, and over the past weeks, I’ve found myself, my tongue, paralyzed with fear once again as Haitian people, my people, are being vilified and victimized.
We are under attack by a former president and right-wing Republicans – racist and xenophobic extremists – spewing hate, perpetuating lies, and issuing threats of violence against Haitian immigrants in Ohio whom they’ve accused of abducting and eating cats and dogs. My fear reached its height when I saw the KKK flyer commanding immigrants to go back to where we came from. The KKK? In broad daylight, in public, on social media?
We have reason to be afraid. However, the silence of my people on the ground in Springfield who have been enduring bomb threats has been deafening.
Why aren’t they speaking up? Even as I took to social media to finally speak my sadness and fear, I was reminded of my experience as an immigrant child coming to the US from Haiti, quickly learning English to translate our native Haitian Kreyol. Haitian migrants in Springfield aren’t choosing to remain silent as dangerous accusations and death threats are hurled at them. More likely, they are like my parents, who didn’t have the language to articulate their fear. Who are the translators on the ground in Springfield? I ponder. And then, I questioned whether my people would speak up and speak out even if they could speak English. Coming from a country where historically voicing anger and discontentment against a corrupt government and presently vocally challenging the violent gangs gets you killed. I don’t know if they would speak if they could scream, “Enough!”
I am desperate to hear from them. Not from Haitians like me who either immigrated long ago or the ones born here, and are therefore both fluent in English and have adopted the history of civil rights-seeking Black people in America. But clearly, the Klan still hasn’t been conquered. How can, why would the Haitians in Springfield say anything? The Klan is coming for us – still, again. And I am afraid.
Suffering in silence, I think back to my childhood when I had words and had to find the words. I came to the US from Haiti as a toddler. I was learning to speak, so I knew my native Haitian Kreyol and English simultaneously. In just a couple of years, as a little girl, I would serve as a translator for my family in matters related to staying in this country. I can remember standing in the darkness of pre-dawn, shivering in the January cold with my mother and sister, waiting for the immigration office to open as if they were the gates to heaven itself. The three of us needed to get our green cards renewed.
This was before INS became USCIS as part of the Department of Homeland Security. Although we’d arrived at 5:00 am, we were not the first in line, far from it. We were in the middle of the wrap-around line that made laps around the block. We waited for hours only to suffer the disgust and condescension of workers who didn’t want to be there and who made it clear that they didn’t want us there. But we were the good ones who worked hard and paid taxes from coins scrounged from the diapers of American infants and elderly alike. Yet we were grateful to be on the inside and outside of humanity’s borders.
At six and nine years old, my sister and I would translate the words but not the disdain of immigration clerks who handled our documents with fingertips and all but threw them back in our faces. If they could have, they could have worn latex gloves to keep the AIDS away. That’s what they thought as they lorded the threat of deportation over our heads.
My mother could read the fury on their faces and in their gestures, which said, “Get out of my face, out of my country, far far away from me, from here.”
But we were lucky ones who’d come here legally. Unlike my aunt, who’d arrived on a slow speedboat in the eighties into the hands of abusive Coast Guard agents. Unlike my cousin in 2021, who walked over corpses in her path as she crossed the Darien Gap only to be chased and caught by ICE agents whom we’d seen on the news on horseback with ropes that looked like whips, echoing a brutal history of capturing runaway slaves. But even my aunt and my cousin had been lucky. My aunt had arrived before Haitians fleeing a dictatorship and poverty were being sent to Guantanamo Bay – the nonrefuge for Haitian refugees who were mislabeled as HIV/AIDS transmitters. My cousin was fortunate to have spent only days in a US-Mexican border detention center before being “rescued” by a Christian group that took them to California. My aunt and cousin had been released to waiting family members who’d established themselves legally and fruitfully in the US years ago. My sister and I would translate for them, too. But only when they needed to say something that would allow them to remain in this country. Otherwise, they mostly stayed silent, as if any recounting of their tragic journeys would result in reprisal or get them sent back to the poverty and danger from which they’d fled. They only spoke to relatives about their land and sea crossings in hushed tones.
They dared not even dream of having the privilege to analyze their situation in the context of US politics and policy. Nor did they risk discussing Haiti’s history of abuse and disenfranchisement by its French and other Western world colonizers and US-installed presidents. Even through a translator, they wouldn’t talk about the punishment that has been levied against them for the audacity to liberate themselves from the shackles of their slavers. They say little to nothing about the reparations demanded by France that left Haiti economically crippled.
They are too fearful and traumatized to speak of the events of the past hundred years – US occupations, murderous dictators, detention in GITMO, a place reserved for terrorists before they could ever make it to the shores or borders of “the land of the free.” Ahhh…That’s it: they/we are constantly reminded that our freedom is conditional. Keeping it requires self-censorship. Hush, hush, hush. Or go back to where you came from. Or be deported to your inhabitable homeland made so by colonial theft of wealth and more than a century of punitive US policies.
I imagine that the Haitian migrants in Springfield are experiencing the same fear of speaking out against their plight, especially after former President Donald Trump said in public! On national television! During the presidential debate! They are feasting on the pets of the rightful residents who have been burdened by the transplantation of immigrants in their city.
My people on the ground require that someone “pretenou lang” “lend us your tongue or language,” as my grandmother would say. But as in centuries past, they are likely less concerned about speaking and more about survival. The KKK is kkkoming for them, for us. The former president has blown the dog whistle. ICE is coming. Haitian children might be attacked or blown to bits by threatened bombings. And we have to work, to eat, to be housed. To stay alive.
Never mind words. Never mind language. Never mind speech. Never mind explaining what’s happening, “the situation on the ground,” being discussed by local and national politicians and media. Never mind what privileged first, second, and third-generation Haitian-Americans are saying on their (own) behalf. And never mind the resilience for which the oppressed are forever being touted. Just because we’re strong and can and have proudly withstood battery and survived disenfranchisement doesn’t mean we don’t hurt. My people in Ohio live the fear perpetuating the paralysis that feeds the loud silence. They are trying to survive it. But at least they’re alive, at least for now.
In the meantime, I will set aside my own fear, paralysis, and wordlessness, leverage my privilege and lend them my tongue. But words are not protection.
Courtesy of Victoria Sanders
Francesca Momplaisir is the author of The Garden of Broken Things and My Mother’s House. Born in Haiti, she is a multi-lingual scholar and novelist writing in English and Kreyol. Dr. Momplaisir studied at Columbia University, the University of Oxford, and New York University, where she earned a doctorate in African and African diaspora literature. She is the recipient of a Fulbright fellowship to travel to Ghana to research the cultural retention of the transatlantic slave trade. Her debut novel was compared to Toni Morrison’s At the Height of Her Career” (Harper’s Bazaar) and made several best book lists, including Elle and Vulture.
According to a news release obtained by Black Enterprise, over 50 former football legends representing 25 HBCUs endorsed Harris and Walz and urged people to vote for their candidates of choice this November.
The list of 52 HBCU football legends includes Greg Coleman, the first Black punter in the NFL; Richard Dent, the Super Bowl XX MVP; James “Shack: Harris, the first Black full-time starting NFL quarterback; Willie Lanier, the first Black starting MLB in the NFL; Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to start, win, and also be named MVVP of a Super Bowl; and so many more.
The football legends wrote in a public letter, “We encourage all citizens to study the candidates and issues and make their own judgments.” They stressed the importance of voters researching candidates.
“We have done so and are inspired and proud of the leadership that President Harris and Vice-President Walz will provide. But throughout our careers, we have competed on the merits, and we respect the rights of others to compete now and reach their own conclusions about candidates.”
The endorsement comes as questions loom on whether Harris can get support from Black men. A recent NAACP poll gives insight on how Harris is performing with Black voters. While more than 75% of Black women over 50 said they would vote for the Harris-Walz ticket, only 66% of men over 50 plan to do so, Newsweek reports. The same poll shows that only 56% of Black voters between 18 and 49 plan to support Harris.
“The soul of this nation is on the ballot in November. We want Black communities to understand what’s at stake and take action,” said Phaedra Jackson, NAACP vice president of Unit Advocacy and Effectiveness, in a statement.
Michael Vick Admits NFL Retirement Income Nets Him 6 Figures Annually
'I think the NFL does a great job of making sure we’re set up properly when we retire.'
Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick appeared on an episode of a podcast entitled Kickin It With the OGs earlier this year. During the interview, he discussed how his retirement money is set up to be paid six figures for the rest of his life, unlike many NFL players who leave the league.
It’s public knowledge that many professional athletes, particularly in football, end up broke because they don’t set up their finances correctly and/or overspend while not preparing for life after the money stops coming in from the sport Vick has made sure that he will never go broke, and he credits the NFL (National Football League) for helping make that happen.
“NFL players have great benefits. I think the NFL does a great job of ensuring we’re set up properly when we retire,” Vick said during the broadcast. “They put us in plans where if you play long enough and you invest while you’re in the league, in the plans, then you’ll have decent payouts when you get older.”
According to MoneyWise, the average player leaves the NFL around the age of 28. Vick played 13 seasons and retired at 36, playing more than the average player. He also lost two years after going to prison due to a scandal when he was convicted of participating in a dog fighting ring. Yet, despite the missed time, he stated that he brings in over $100,000 annually from his retirement income.
He also mentioned that he also has a disability plan, even saying he gets more than six figures annually.
“The league provides us with opportunities to make sure financial longevity is in place for us if you want it,” he said.
He admitted that some players don’t pay attention to what they can gain, but although he wasn’t financially literate, he paid enough attention to make sure he was straight in his older years.
“I’ve seen a lot of guys who didn’t want it, who didn’t pay attention.”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Reportedly Placed On Suicide Watch
He has been placed under suicide watch as a preventative measure as he is reportedly in shock and his mental state is unclear at the time.
After being denied bail two times in less than three days, reports are stating that Combs Enterprises’ CEO, Sean “Diddy” Combs, is currently under suicide watch as he awaits trial on multiple federal charges.
According to People, the embattled hip-hip music producer is locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Diddy has been placed under suicide watch as a preventative measure as he is reportedly in shock, and his mental state is unclear at the time.
The Daily Beast has reported that the prison is known to be dangerous and is understaffed, where there is purportedly a high number of deaths and suicides among the 1,600 people imprisoned there waiting for trial. Attorneys for Diddy had stated in the paperwork they filed for an appeal in hopes of gaining bail that “several courts in this District have recognized that the conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center are not fit for pre-trial detention.”
“Just earlier this summer, an inmate was murdered. At least four inmates have died by suicide there in the past three years.”
People reported that Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, requested that the “No Way Out” recording artist be transferred to a prison in Essex County in New Jersey.
The 54-year-old multihyphenate was arrested on Monday, Sept. 16, on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He faces a life sentence based on the severity of the charges, as Agnifilo has stated that he will appeal the ruling once more.
Prosecutors have claimed during his second bail hearing that Diddy could obstruct the case with the possibility of witness tampering, as they provided proof that he had already done so. They likened his attempt by saying, “The risk of danger is acute.”
They also mentioned that he was allegedly in possession of a cache of weapons that were discovered in the closet of his bedroom, which were found during home raids conducted on his properties. He also has access to millions of dollars and private planes that would make him a flight risk.
A conference hearing for Diddy has been scheduled for Sept. 24 at 10 a.m.
