{"id":159557,"date":"2023-06-07T14:28:37","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T13:28:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/us\/?p=159557"},"modified":"2023-06-07T14:28:44","modified_gmt":"2023-06-07T13:28:44","slug":"whatever-happened-to-brian-piccolos-wife-joy-murrath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/us\/whatever-happened-to-brian-piccolos-wife-joy-murrath\/","title":{"rendered":"Whatever Happened To Brian Piccolo\u2019s Wife Joy Murrath?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joy Murrath lost her first husband, Brian Piccolo, at the age of 27. Following her first husband\u2019s death, Murrath had to adjust to life as a single mother, but that wasn\u2019t for long.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three years after the football star\u2019s death, Joy found love again in the arms of Rick O\u2019Connell. Rick is the son of a Chicago-based policeman who earned his keep in the ready-mix concrete business. Joy had two additional children for her second husband bringing the total number of her kids to five.<\/p>\n

Joy Murrath and Brian Piccolo Were High School Sweethearts\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

According to reports, Joy Murrath and her late spouse, Brian Piccolo, were high school sweethearts. While Brian was building his football career at the varsity level, Joy, who was born in 1943, was also active at Central Catholic, where she functioned as a cheerleader.<\/p>\n

Their juvenile romance endured till they graduated from high school, and the lovebirds wasted no time in taking things to the next level by becoming officially engaged.<\/p>\n

While asking for his love interest\u2019s hand in marriage, the football running back presented her with a diamond ring. One interesting fact about the couple\u2019s engagement is that Piccolo also gave a diamond ring (albeit a smaller one) to Joy\u2019s sister, Carol Murrath, who suffered from cerebral palsy.<\/p>\n

When quizzed about his reasons for making such a gesture, Piccolo, who had earlier developed a friendship with Joy\u2019s sister, said he only wanted Carol to feel included and forget how her condition makes her feel.<\/p>\n

\"Joy<\/h2>\n

Joy and Brian at their wedding image source<\/a><\/p>\n

They Got Married in 1964 and Had Three Kids Together<\/b><\/h2>\n

Three days before Brian Piccolo signed his first deal with the Chicago Bears Football Club, he exchanged wedding vows with his wife, Joy Murrath. The couple\u2019s wedding ceremony was held on the 26th of December, 1964.<\/p>\n

Before their nuptials, Piccolo was engaged in a postseason Shrine All-Star football game which disrupted their wedding plans to a great extent. As a result of his involvement in the game, the football running back couldn\u2019t attend his wedding rehearsals, much to Joy\u2019s disappointment. He was only able to arrive at the venue in time for their exchange of vows via an airplane, and knowing Brian he was able to save his neck with his display of quick wit by telling Joy, \u201cYou know I hate to practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joy and Brian Piccolo were married for three years during which they welcomed three children. Their children are named Lori Piccolo Bruno, Kristi Piccolo, and Traci Piccolo Dolby \u2013 all girls. The Piccolo girls are all married and have given their mum 12 grandchildren.<\/p>\n

\"Joy
Joy’s three daughters with Brian – Lori Piccolo Bruno, Kristi Piccolo, and Traci Piccolo Dolby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joy Murrath Lost her Husband To Cancer In 1970<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Joy Murrath was barely 27 on the 16th of June 1970 when the American celebrity wife became a widow. She lost her first husband, Brian Piccolo, to cancer; Brian was born in October 1943 in the Pittsfield area of Massachusetts. Piccolo was renowned as an American football star who played in the halfback and running back positions for the Chicago Bears of the NFL for a period of four years.<\/p>\n

Two years earlier, in November 1968, Brian, named Louis Brian Piccolo, was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma. For the purpose of elucidation, embryonal cell carcinoma is described as an aggressive kind of germ-cell testicular cancer. Unfortunately for Brian, the terminal disease was only discovered after it got into his thoracic cavity.<\/p>\n

Less than two years after his diagnosis, Joy\u2019s husband died at the young age of 26 after playing for just four seasons for his team, the Chicago Bears Football Club. His interment took place in Hillside, Illinois, precisely at the Queen of Heaven Cemetery.<\/p>\n

Brian\u2019s life and death inspired the production of the television movie Brian\u2019s Song in 1971, with his character depicted by actor James Caan; Sean Maher played Brian\u2019s role in the 2001 remake of the same movie.<\/p>\n