STARKVILLE — In between seasons at Holmes Community College, Traver Jung went home to Greenville to be with Virginia Jung, his great-grandmother and the woman who raised him. On that day — March 7, 2014 — she was lying on the couch and asked Traver to grab the newspaper for her.
As he walked back to the house, he heard the dog barking. His brother, Xavies, opened the door. Virginia Jung was laying on the couch, “lily white.” She was dead.
“She died with a smile on her face,” Traver said.
Given how Virginia always encouraged Traver’s pursuit of football, he decided to change his jersey number to 3 or 7, referencing her death date of March 7. No. 3 was available for his 2014 season at Holmes CC and he’s stuck with it at Mississippi State. He thinks it’s the least he can do for the woman that raised him — the same woman that raised his mother, Stephanie.
Traver wore the number last season when he tied for the team lead with five pass breakups. He also had 25 tackles, three for a loss, two-and-a-half sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Stephanie had Traver in November 1994. Virginia was adamant about Traver not going to day care, so it was decided Virginia would raise him — and his two siblings, brother Xavies and sister Soraya — while Stephanie worked two jobs to support them. She would work factory jobs during the day and wait tables at night.
She’s forever grateful to Virginia for raising Traver.
“She tried to make sure he did right,” Stephanie said as she fought back tears. “Traver never got in trouble. He’s the sweetest child. He is so sweet and humble. She did me the same way. He is just like I am.
“She’s been gone for three years and it’s still hard.”
Stephanie and Traver can bond over their shared experience of being raised by Virginia Jung. When asked to recount their experiences, they both started with the same thought: her discipline tendencies.
“She was kind of mean when I was young,” Traver said. “I had different punishments than other people growing up. It wasn’t a light pat on the butt or anything. She raised me rough. It was tough love.
“I’m grateful for it to this day. It made me the man I am today.”
The two can laugh about Virginia’s ways because both know there was much more to her than tough love.
Even in encouraging Traver to chase his football aspirations with everything he had, Virginia Jung was never much of a football person. She wasn’t able to attend many games near the end of her life due to physical ailments, but she constantly reminded Traver to “stay prayed up.” She was convinced that and persistence would lead Traver to football success.
Stephanie remembers Virginia had all three of her children do nightly Bible time in the house. She would quiz them in between Sunday services.
“When I touch the field, I pray every day to her and the Lord to watch over me in the game,” Traver said. “If I wasn’t playing ball, I don’t know where I’d be. I feel like football has saved me, brought me a long way.”
When Traver stops to pray as he takes the field, he does so with Virginia’s memory on his chest.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.