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Behind the Lens on The “Bad” Brad Berkwitt Show with Guests James “Quick Tillis” and Vanessa “Quick” Tillis

V and J
By Debbie “D2” Edwards

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. This dignified response to the question “What is the saying that you live your life by?” befits Vanessa “Quick” Tillis. Vanessa is a woman of class and grace. Her eloquent manner and soothing responses were heartwarming, and I truly enjoyed getting to know more about her, and her husband, James “Quick” Tillis. While some may think that those words are simplistic, they are more powerful than the punches that “Quick” threw as a Heavyweight in his heyday.

In my interactions with others, I attempt to gain insight into their mindset in hopes of both spreading growth and personally growing. Peering behind the lens during this interview with “Bad” Brad and his guests gave me invaluable lessons that will forever enrich my life. As humans, we see things from our own viewpoint. Gaining the perspective of a man who grew up in the mid-West, on the north side of Tulsa Oklahoma, reinforced the importance of some of the down-home values that I learned and tried to instill in my children.

“Quick” traveled the world, and was one of boxing’s elite, yet his humility and down-to-earth nature was glaringly obvious, and quite refreshing. He has experienced many different things in life, from appearing in the film classic, The Color Purple, to standing atop of the Heavyweight Division, yet he was as approachable as the boy next door. Simply stated, no airs put on. And in this time of much social unrest in parts of the country, his wise, uncomplicated manner of interacting with people from different backgrounds should be duplicated. “Quick” said “that he loves all people.” He values diversity. Most profound, however, was his statement that people should be taken as individuals. I appreciated that statement. So often, people categorize others with what they are familiar with, or what society says that the person should be. “Quick” and Vanessa “Quick” Tillis have been blessed with an insight that transcends this basic philosophy. He readily credited people from various walks of life for their part in his success, and the genuineness of these sentiments echoed past his words.

Yes, the wisdom of “The FightingCowboy”, shared could alleviate much of the dissension and friction that we see today. Those words and the values that are prevalent in the Tillis household are desperately needed in our society. A balance of humor, humility, respect, and inclusiveness are what I gathered that they possess. We need to seek the good in our fellow man, and that good is not seen with the human eyes. That good radiates from the soul and is what makes good, old-fashioned values so important in maintaining the integrity of our society.

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