Thank You JJ Watt
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Sports

Thank You JJ Watt

A story of hope in the midst of a storm

Krista Bauer
Oct 02, 2017
Purdue University
119
Thank You JJ Watt
Flickr

In the midst of one of the worst hurricanes the United States has ever seen, there was a light of hope in Texas. Through all of the devastation that displaced so many in Houston, one NFL player, JJ Watt, used his platform in the best way possible; to help others in need. His efforts alone raised over $30 million for "his people."

We could all learn a lesson from JJ Watt.

Let's start from the beginning when Hurricane Harvey hit. Harvey was a Category Four hurricane with top wind speeds of 132 mph. According to ABC News, Harvey dropped over 50 inches of rain on Houston in a seven-day period. It is estimated one trillion gallons of water fell over four days in Harris County.

There were 72 fatalities attributed to Hurricane Harvey. It is also estimated that there is over $80 billion-$100 billion in damage. More than 200,000 homes were completely destroyed while 130,000 homes were damaged. At the height of Harvey, almost 35,000 people were in temporary shelters.

I could go on and on about how the devastation impacted Texas and the statistics about the storm, but this article isn't about the storm; it's about the recovery.

During times of trials and tribulations, there is always hope. JJ Watt didn't just stay back on his heels. He helped. JJ's original goal was $200,000 for relief efforts. A week into his fundraiser for Houston, the JJ Watt Foundation surpassed $18.5 million.

By week one of the NFL season, JJ Watt had raised over $30 million. JJ has given credit to the generosity of others in many interviews, ESPN NFL Countdown even having a lengthy segment on his hurricane efforts; however, I think JJ deserves more credit than he is giving himself.

JJ Watt is one NFL player out of about 1,500. It only took one player with the platform professional athletes have to start a chain reaction for others to follow. He used his voice the right way; to spread love to others and give them hope that tomorrow will be better. We can all learn a lesson from JJ Watt. Do you know someone that has a "hurricane" in their life and just needs love? Prayers? An encouraging text? We may not have the platform professional athletes or celebrities have, but love and compassion can start right where you are today. Yes....TODAY!

Thank you, JJ Watt, for restoring some love back into our society.

"Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these." Mark 12:31

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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