Juwan Howard, family assisted with funeral arrangements of UVA linebacker D’Sean Perry

The shooting at Virginia weeks ago that left three football players dead and another hospitalized reverberated around college athletics, with players and coaches across the country with ties to UVA feeling the pain of what happened. Michigan basketball and the Howard family, apparently, are no exception.

During the ESPN broadcast of the ACC/Big Ten Showdown game between Michigan and Virginia, reporter Myron Medcalf shared how the Howard family had a close to connection to D’Sean Perry, one of the slain Cavalier football players. Both Jett and Jace Howard, Juwan Howard’s sons who are both on the current Michigan roster, played some high school hoops with Perry.

“Juwan Howard’s family actually has a personal connection to the tragedy. D’Sean Perry, one of the three that was killed played high school basketball with both Jace and Jett Howard at Gulliver Prep in Florida,” Medcalf said early in the second half.

Shortly after the shooting, Jace Howard posted a lighthearted video of Perry on Twitter and wrote a brief remembrance for Perry.

“Rest in Peace my brother. I can’t believe this happened and it’s not fair. I’ll choose to remember the laughs and memories we shared. Love you forever man [sic] prayers to everyone at the University of Virginia,” Jace Howard wrote.

Rest in Peace my brother. I can’t believe this happened and it’s not fair. I’ll choose to remember the laughs and memories we shared. Love you forever man @0vo_dsean ❤️ prayers to everyone at the University of Virginia pic.twitter.com/OMnyyRzg6X

— Jace Howard (@JaceHoward_) November 14, 2022

Medcalf shared on the broadcast that the family helped with funeral arrangements for Perry’s service, which was held earlier this week.

“So the family has taken it really hard and they’ve been involved and in contact with the D’Sean Perry family. As a matter of fact, Juwan Howard’s family assisted in the arrangements for the funeral of D’Sean Perry, which was held earlier this week,” Medcalf said.

The news of this Howard family connection to Perry and Virginia adds another dimension to the fact that Michigan wore warmup shirts honoring the trio of Virginia football players killed that day, too. And it’s a reminder of how far-reaching these tragedies can be.