50 years later: N.C. Olympian opens up in rare interview on athletes killed by terrorists
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A 7-foot-2 Avery County man and NC State legend was a member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Tommy Burleson got caught in the middle of a moment when terrorists were taking athletes to a bus and helicopter where they were taken to the airport and killed during a shootout. Burleson vividly remembers a gun to his back and then his head as he could hear the whimpers of the Israeli athletes when they were shuffled out behind him as he faced a wall. The event leaves him with nightmares to this very day. This summer, I spent some time with Burleson in his hometown where he told the story that he rarely shares in public.
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