Four Nebraska football players got a chance to spread a little cheer on Monday.
P.J. Smith, Donovan Vestal, Brion Carnes and Tyler Evans helped the MAD (Men Against Destruction) DADS organization distribute both new and refurbished bicycles to children ages 2 through 7. The children are participants in the Young Athletes program through the Special Olympics.
Established in 2007, the Young Athletes program reaches out to children with intellectual disabilities and welcomes them and their families to the Special Olympics movement.
The Huskers helped the MAD DADS Lincoln organization donate 150 bicycles to the Team Nebraska Special Needs Olympic Children. The group also distributed two 3-wheeled bicycles, two side-by-side bikes and another bike designed to accommodate a paraplegic.
The four assisting Huskers helped one Young Athlete in particular find the perfect bike. While some knew exactly which bicycle they wanted, others wanted to try out a few before making a selection.
That process meant smiles and hugs all around - from the children and the student-athletes helping them.
In describing the event,
Smith, a candidate to win a starting spot on the Blackshirts at safety, expressed a sense of nostalgia as he recalled his first bicycle. "It was a little red one, just like that one over there," he said before adding: "It's a very humbling experience to be able to help these kids get their first bike."
Editor's note: MAD DADS is a visible and vocal presence in challenged neighborhoods across the country. Lincoln has one of several prominent national chapters of MAD DADS, which is headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla.
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