NORFOLK, VA (WTKR)- Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker passed away on July 14, 2019. Exactly six years later, Norfolk is honoring his legacy thanks to the efforts of a family member.
Vanisha Whitaker says she's been urging the city to hold a day to honor her uncle for the last five years. When she learned it was happening, she visited his grave site.
"I showed him first when I first got the paper," she said. "I went to go see him and I was dancing around there a little bit."
July 14, 2025, was proclaimed Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker Day in Norfolk by Mayor Kenny Alexander. It's a legend born in the Young Terrace community of the city, a legend that always loved to fight.
"My grandfather was like 'no, I'm going to put him in boxing,'" Vanisha said. "He just liked to box. He liked to play around. He liked to fight, so they put that to use."
A championship belt-filled career would follow. He claimed an Olympic gold medal in 1984 and won world titles in four different weight classes. Vanisha always knew Whitaker as her uncle, but saw plenty of signs of his influence.
"The day of his funeral when we rode the three cities," she recalled. "You saw people out there with newspaper clippings and they're blowing their horns and they're waving and they've got flags and they're just rooting it on. I'm just like 'OK, this is who he was.'"
Sweet Pea was more than just boxing. He was a staple of his community. After hanging up the gloves, he returned to the 757 so he could coach, train, mentor and give back. His impact in his hometown was stronger than a punch in the ring.
"I think he meant so much to the 757," said his niece. "Everybody loved him inside and out. He still came around after he retired. He still lived in the community. He still was giving back to the children."
That legacy is what motivated Vanisha to push for the day and now she's gotten that victory. She and her family, along with countless others, are celebrating a legacy that reaches far beyond championships.
"He fought hard for us, his family," noted Vanisha. "He fought hard for the community. Why let it go to waste? If he can fight for you, why can't you fight for him?"
The celebrating doesn't stop with Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker Day. Vanisha will also host a back to school drive and community day at Young Terrace Community Center on August 8.
