Troy University Athletics
Visit To Children's Hospital Was Memorable
2/2/2009 6:00:00 AM | Football
During our time at the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, we were granted an opportunity to do what we WANTED to do. Normally, you are on a schedule and are not permitted to leave the hotel. In New Orleans, though, we still had respectable curfews, had meetings to attend, and were expected to represent Troy in proper manner.
But we did have our freedom.
Ten of us were given the chance to use some of that free time in an off-Bourbon way. I told our Media Relations Director Ricky Hazel that I wanted to be a part of the group that went to the New Orleans Childrens' Hospital the day that I found out about it, which was two days before we left for New Orleans.
He worked it out where I could go, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I knew this would be a rare opportunity to show our players at an angle different than running into people, catching a ball, and setting records.
Some of those that went have children of their own, something you don't think of when you think college football player. They have siblings that have gone through something like this, or have gone through a scenario of being in a hospital like this before.
One in the group, native New Orleans citizen Dion Gales, was born in the same hospital we visited.
This is a glimpse into the experience through my eyes, through their eyes, and through the children's eyes:
