Six- and Eight-Year Old Brothers Are Raising Money… With the Help of the NFL
Six-year-old Bryson loves football, and he has one thing in common with his favorite football team – he wears a Saints helmet all the time.
The Story
Bryson has epilepsy and loses consciousness multiple times a day. They range from drop seizures, in which he suddenly loses muscle tone, to “grand mal” seizures in which he fully loses consciousness and collapses.
Concerned about head injuries from these falls, Bryson’s family sought an epilepsy helmet. Their insurance company said the helmet was unnecessary. Jack’s Helping Hand disagreed.
Jack’s Helping Hand is a nonprofit that serves families in San Luis Obispo County whose children have disabilities, cancer and special needs. They funded the helmet for Bryson, and it now protects him when he collapses without warning. They’ve also assisted the family with out-of-area visits to medical specialists so that Bryson can get the treatment he needs.
Bryson’s family wanted to give back to Jack’s Helping Hand to meet other families’ needs. While they were brainstorming around the dinner table, Bryson and his eight-year-old brother Brock came up with a winning idea.
The Fundraiser
Brock and Bryson’s fundraiser is called Helmets for Helmets. The two brothers recorded a video asking NFL players to sign helmets, footballs and jerseys and send them in. The family will auction these items at Jack’s Helping Hand’s Annual BBQ in July and donate the money to the organization.
What’s Happening
Sarah, the boys’ mother, said that they originally expected to get 5-6 helmets – which would still make for an amazing auction item. But the idea has taken off. Dozens of NFL players, and now entire teams, have confirmed that they’ll send autographed helmets to help the fundraiser.
We’re talking the Oakland Raiders, the New Orleans Saints, the New England Patriots, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Seattle Seahawks, the L.A. Rams, the Carolina Panthers, the Jacksonville Jaguars and more. Eli Manning, Derek Carr, Odell Beckham Jr., Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson want in. And the number is growing every day. NFL teams that Bryson and Brock didn’t even contact are reaching out and wanting to help.
What’s Next
Verdin has served as the marketing partner of Jack’s Helping Hand since their inception in 2006, and we’ve helped them spread the word locally about this fundraiser. It’s been gratifying to see the coverage so far, as we know this is the kind of story that brings a community together.
We’re now in the process of reaching outside of this community to pitch the story on a national level. Football teams across the nation are uniting to support Brock and Bryson’s cause, and it’s a cause worth sharing. We’ll keep you updated on what happens!
Brock and Bryson aren’t done, either. They’re receiving shipments of helmets every day. Come July, they’ll not only have a set of outstanding auction items, but an amazing story to tell as well.
