The Rare Treat Of Don Perkins

FRISCO, Texas – These two memories will never be forgotten.

Five years ago, I met Don Perkins for the first time. Myself, Roxanne Medina and Blake Silverthorn of the Dallas Cowboys television department went to Albuquerque, N.M., to interview the Cowboys Ring of Honor running back for a Cowboys Legends Show documentary.

Four months later, on Aug. 21, at age 79, Don and his daughter Judy Wykoff made the trip from Albuquerque to Frisco, Texas, for the Dallas Cowboys commemoration of the Ring of Honor Walk, a gathering of 16 of those 17 living members of the Ring of Honor, all one by one posing in front of their raised blue numbers along the Star District sidewalks.

Here is what I wrote of that second meeting:

Well, when Perk arrived on his golf cart to his location, accompanied by his daughter Judy Wykoff, a guy walked up with a wheelchair to assist him to the spot where his No. 43 rests. Perkins looked at the wheelchair, and I could see it in the six-time Pro Bowler’s eyes, like he was saying, “I’ll be damned if I’m going to be wheeled behind the number I carried for 6,217 yards.”

Nope, these still are very proud guys. Grabbed his cane and walked on his own the short distance to then pose for pictures behind that 43. Judy and I exchanged knowingly smiles at his determination.

That will be our last meeting. Don Perkins passed away at the age of 84 on Thursday in Albuquerque, and here is my piece written for the Dallas Cowboys Star magazine five years ago, the inspiring story of a life well lived.

There are times in our lives we are fortunate to uncover a living treasure. One of those occurred this past April, 2017, for me, having been dispatched to Albuquerque, N.M., to interview Don Perkins.

Don played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960-68. He was a fullback/running back. The only Cowboys player to precede him into the hallowed Ring of Honor is Bob Lilly. And that guy is known as Mr. Cowboy, the first player the NFL expansion franchise ever drafted. The first Dallas…