Giants’ Damon Harrison fulfills his boyhood promise and buys a home for his mother
New York Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison (98) looks on during practice at the Quest Diagnostic Training Facility on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Credit: Andrew Theodorakis
Damon Harrison made the two most important women in his life cry this weekend. He even shed a few tears himself. And it was a good thing.
Harrison followed up on a promise he made to his mother, Brunella Narcisse, when he was 8 years old and bought her a house in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He unveiled the surprise this weekend, which caused both his mom and his fiancée to bawl when they walked into the new home.
“It was a house she had wanted for a while,” Harrison said after Giants practice on Monday. “Ever since that day we talked about it a lot . . . Nineteen years later, I made good on that promise.”
Harrison didn’t only buy the house, he helped fill it. Literally. He was part of the moving crew that hoisted boxes and crates into the home, and he pitched in on the fridge and other larger appliances as well.
He might have to do it again soon. While Harrison bought the house for his mother, he’s still looking for a place of his own near the Giants in New Jersey.
Harrison played four seasons for the Jets but was an undrafted player out of college and never had the security to fulfill that promise to his mother. This offseason, the Giants signed him to a five-year, $46-million deal with $24 million guaranteed. That provided plenty of security to make the purchase.
Harrison grew up in what he called “the projects” in New Iberia, Louisiana. It was a small three-bedroom apartment.
“I told my mom that that old apartment could fit in her kitchen,” Harrison said. “That put a smile on her face. She just got done texting me about it. She said she’s still crying.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
