Detroit Lions fans are still grappling with the fact that the Matthew Stafford era in Detroit has reached a conclusion.
In response, many are performing a classy gesture as a show of appreciation for his years in the Motor City.
#MyCauseMyCleats
🏈: Matthew Stafford
👟: @ANAssociation pic.twitter.com/huG0DVTGwk— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 8, 2019
As a nod to his #9 jersey number, a wave of $9 dollar donations have been made to the Acoustic Neuroma Association, the charity that Stafford supported for his wife Kelly while she was receiving treatment for a brain tumor. Stafford has supported the charity during the past two NFL “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign.
If you’d like to take part and contribute to a worthy cause, donations can be made here.
UPDATE:
Fans have come through in spades for this great cause. As of Tuesday afternoon, a total of 1,575 fans have raised over $22,000 for the Acoustic Neuroma Association.
“This kind of awareness is huge for us. It really is huge for us,” said Melissa Baumbick, director of outreach and development for the Acoustic Neuroma Association. “So just being able to get the word out there so that doctors are aware of it and can diagnose it correctly and we don’t have misdiagnoses and also so patients are aware of it. And even so far as Kelly has talked about sort of the things that she’s dealt with following her surgery, because there are sometimes things that become chronic conditions and go on following surgery that become sort of life-changing issues for people moving forward.
“Most patients lose some hearing; some patients lose all hearing in one ear. So that becomes something that they have to deal with moving forward, so having that sort of awareness is huge.”
“We are grateful, so grateful to Matthew Stafford and to Kelly Stafford especially for her willingness to be open and honest about her journey and her recovery and how she’s done with it,” Baumbick said. “She’s been not really a spokesperson necessarily but somebody who has done a lot for the acoustic neuroma community and what we call acoustic neuroma warriors.
“And with Matthew’s support and his support of her and his family and even the Detroit Lions support that message has gone far and wide.”
– – Quotes via Michael Rothstein of ESPN Link – –
Matthew and Kelly,
Thank you both for all that you have done for the people of Detroit. Your playing has always been the one thing that have hope to fans of the Detroit Lions that someday they may reach the Super Bowl. Other than that, you have been one of the enjoyable and memorable memories of the last 60 + years.
Thanks for the memories and wishing you both the very best in the future.