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Titans fan honors Kearse with name change?

Monday, January 24, 2005

Jevon Kearse left Tennessee almost a year ago to continue his NFL career in Philadelphia, but for one Titans fan, memories of Kearse's time with the Titans will stay with him perhaps forever.

Kelly Louis Gooch, who has spent the past six months in a foster care home with Billy and Melody Parman, officially joined the Parman family as their adopted child last week.

In celebration of the event, Kelly decided to change his name to Jevon Louis Parman.

Tom Burton, executive director of Agape, a Nashville adoption agency, was surprised by the young man's name change.

''I've worked in this field for 34 years,'' he said. ''This is only the second time I've seen something like this happen.''

''The Titans are my favorite team, but Jevon Kearse is still my favorite player,'' he said. ''When I saw him play, I decided I was going to change my name to Jevon.''

The 17-year-old Wilson Central High School student is proud of his decision to name himself after his favorite player. As for Jevon's new parents, both Billy and Melody Parman stand behind their son's decision.

''That's what he wanted so that's what we wanted,'' Billy Parman said.