Ruth and Wilson: Using Celebrity For Good:
On Thanksgiving this year, the Seattle Seahawks beat the San Fransisco 49ers, 19-3. Russell Wilson was masterful in his play once again. As impressive as Wilson is on the field, however, I learned that he is equally amazing off the field, particularly in his relationships with cancer-stricken children. During halftime, NBC showcased Wilson and his affiliation with Seattle Children’s Hospital. You could tell that Wilson genuinely cares for these kids and believes that positive thinking and reassurance can help in their recovery. Watching this special made me appreciate Wilson more as a sports celebrity, but also made me think of the parallels with Babe, who shared Wilson’s interest in children’s well-being, as well as demonstrated a strong positive influence over kids and their healing process.
As mentioned many times by BRC, Babe Ruth consistently visited sick children wherever he went. The number of documented visits to orphanages or hospitals is likely in the thousands. For Babe, it was part of his life mission to make children happy and to do his best to cheer the spirits of every child, particularly those that were disadvantaged in some way. The most amazing of those stories continues to be his role in the recovery of little Johnny Sylvester.
Russell Wilson is a unique and admirable sports celebrity. To see a professional athlete who is that altruistic and considerate of others is rare, particularly these days. When you do discover an athlete that is quite that thoughtful and giving, you have to appreciate them that much more, regardless of what team they represent. Happy Holidays everyone!
