Bernard-Converse's new name has deep meaning
STILL WATER—Brian Converse's first interactions with young Jarrick Bernard still make him laugh 16 years later.
“He was a spoiled little child ,” Converse said of little Jarrick, who was only 4 years old at the time. “He was Mama's only child and he was spoiled.”
Converse was fresh out of military basic training at the time that he met Jarrick's mother, Dana, and began a relationship with her.
As it got more serious, so did the role Converse played in Jar rick' s life. Jarrick's biological father hadn't been involved, and it reminded Converse of his own childhood.
“My father wasn't in my life ,” Converse said .“He wasn't in the household with me. He came around a little bit, but seldom. I always told myself if I was in that situation where if I had kids or if I met a young lady with a kid that didn't have a father in their life, that I would be there for that child.”
On Saturday, Converse will sit with Dana, now his wife of 10 years, in the family section of Boone Pickens Stadium and they will cheer for their son — Oklahoma State safety Jar rick BernardConverse—as he plays against Iowa State at 2: 30 p.m.
Jarrick turned 18 years old on April 29, 2018, and immediately afterward, the family began the paperwork for Converse's legal adoption of the boy he had helped raise since the age of 4.
“It had always been a serious idea, but we had to wait for Jarrick to turn 18 for the legal process to begin,” Dana said. “Brian and Jarrick have a unique relationship. For Brian to step in and play a role he didn't have to play, and that he accepted Jarrick as his own and didn't treat Jarrick different, that was very important.”
The Converses have two daughters, Brian na and Abria, but the family's running joke is that Jarrick gets favored treatment from Brian when Jarrick is home from OSU.
“When Jar rick' s home from school, it' s always Jarrick and Brian,” Dana said with a laugh.
After the adoption became official, Jar rick made the decision to add “Converse” to his name as well, and recognize the man who meant so much to him.
“I felt like it was right to pay some respect to him,”
Jarrick said. “He's been my father-figure since I was 4. I look at him like he's my real dad. I love him to death.”
J arrick actually tried to get the name change added in time for the 2019 football season, but the paperwork wasn't completed in time. So he had to wait until this season. But t he wait was worth it now that his family gets to hear the name called over the public address system in the stadium, or by the broadcasters on television.
“It means a lot to me for him to say that he wanted to take on my last name,” Converse said. “To see my last name on the back of his jersey, it means a lot. I know where he comes from, from the start, him trying to play football, and to now, the young man he has grown into. And I'm proud to say that I'm part of his life and he can call me Dad.
“Even if he didn't have my last name, I'm still proud to call him my son.”
For Jar rick, the name change was never a question. He wanted to honor the man and the family that helped mold him.
“He always has my best interest at heart and he always believe sin me ,” Jarrick said. “I wanted to pay that respect to him.”