Friday, April 17, 2009

Dr. J Finally Making Amends With His Daughter Alexandra!

Julius "Dr. J" Erving possessed perhaps some of the greatest physical skills ever given to a human being as he tantalized legions of fans during his Hall of Fame basketball career. In retirement he's still considered an ambassador to the sport and his colleagues still look at him with reverence. During his career, while he dazzled us all with his acrobatics, and portrayed himself as the consummate family man, Erving has acknowledged now that he had some bumps in the road as many of us do.

The story of Julius Erving and his daughter Alexandra Stevenson has been well chronicled by now, but in short Stevenson, now 28 was conceived by Erving and Alexandra's mother Samantha out of wedlock, and Erving didn't meet her in person until last year. Alexandra, gained notoriety in 1999, when she reached the semifinals of Wimbledon, and due to the uncanny resemblance, the whispers began to be heard that she was Erving's biological daughter. Living in the public eye, brings with it unwanted cameras into personal lives, and Erving initially denied being her father, before finally acknowledging the truth.

Julius Erving finally was able to see his daughter play tennis in person this past week, and although she lost her match, it was another step in the developing relationship between father and daughter. Obviously 27 years of time cannot be recaptured, but Erving, now 59, is attempting to make amends with his daughter for the time that's been lost. Hopefully time will be on their side, and they'll have many years to forge a loving father/daughter bond.

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