Eagles’ Jalen Hurts gifts $30k to family of 7-year-old cancer patient
'I just wanted to make an impact in the city.'
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has paid it forward by coming through for a family in need.
On Tuesday, Hurts reportedly donated $10,000 to a West Philadelphia charter school and then made his way to rural Pennsylvania to present a $30,000 check to a needy family whose oldest son Erick, 7, has cancer. Hurts reportedly teamed with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to help buy the family a new house, PEOPLE reports.
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“A moment like that for me, just going in there and meeting everybody, it was fun,” Hurts said in a video about his surprising the family. “I think what amazes me is how the kids don’t even realize maybe what they’re dealing with the circumstances they’re in, but they’re just happy to be living.”
Alex’s Lemonade Stand is a foundation whose mission is “to change the lives of children with cancer through funding impactful research, raising awareness, supporting families, and empowering everyone to help cure childhood cancer”.
Liz Scott, the co-executive director at the foundation, explained in a YouTube video how Hurts came to be connected with Erick and his family through the organization.
“I know they’ve experienced a lot of adversity. They’ve had to deal with a lot of different things,” Hurts told ESPN’s Tim McManus. “But one thing I like to do is be encouraging at all times, uplift those around me, and I just wanted to make an impact in the city of Philadelphia, in this area.”
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The athlete visited Erick and his family and surprised Erick’s mom, Amanda, with a check for $30,000 to help move the family out of the trailer park and into a new home.
Meanwhile, Hurts spoke to CBS Sports Tuesday about how he has already started working hard to get better this offseason, ahead of a potential QB competition with Carson Wentz.
“I’m putting the work in on my end,” Hurts said. “I’m trying to put in relationships with my guys. I’m just trying to take the next step. Regardless of what’s what, I’m challenging myself to be the best quarterback I can be. “Learn from my mistakes as a team, learn from my mistakes last year. In those four games, I got the opportunity to get my feet wet and take off next year.”
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