From OnlineAthens.com
August 5th, 2016 12:58 PM
ATLANTA | Approaching kids who are hurting isn’t easy, but David Greene makes everybody watching feel like they could make anybody’s day better.
The former Georgia quarterback and legendary Bulldogs linemen Jon and Matt Stinchcomb visited patients at Children’s Healthcare at Scottish Rite Thursday. They also played wheelchair football with 17-year-old kidney transplant recipient Tristan Phillips at the College Football Hall of Fame.
“This guy gets it,” a photographer said. “Which one is he? He gets it.”
It was Greene, who asked every kid what their name was and where they lived.
“He’s as down to earth and as approachable as anybody out there,” Jon Stinchcomb said.
Greene led Georgia to the 2002 Southeastern Conference title and went to the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks three years later, so a few kids into sports knew who he was.
While most parents were excited to see Greene, some of their kids didn’t care about football or the Bulldogs or the Super Bowl. Greene still made connections.
“You know what my son likes?” he said to one boy. “Legos. And let me tell you, they aren’t cheap.”
Autographs meant more to some than others, so Greene drew Georgia Gs on plastic helmets and the kids added their own style, some pink and blue and orange.
Flowers look cool on helmets, too.
“There's so much serious stuff they have to deal with,” Greene said, “so I love getting down on their level, playing with them, joking around with them.”
Many families were from Gwinnett County, so Greene played six degrees of separation.
“I went to South (Gwinnett High), so I remember when you guys had,” he’d begin, making a football connection linking to people somebody in the room knew. Parents were in need of good conversation, too.
“Life continues to go on when bad things happen, from work and bills still coming in and so you can imagine the stress it puts on the parents, all while you're wondering if your child is OK,” Greene said.
These days, Greene, married with two kids, works with Matt Stinchcomb in the insurance business. He lives in Grayson, not far from where he grew up. He does radio work and appears in a film room show on the SEC Network.
A couple times a year, Greene goes to Children’s Healthcare, a not-for-profit organization managing more than 870,000 patient visits annually at three hospitals and 25 neighborhood locations.
“We're blessed to have a hospital this caliber so close to us,” Greene said. “It's an hour away from so many people.”
Alyson Dixon says the announcement that Georgia Bulldogs were in the building was the only thing that made her 9-year-old son Austin perk up all day.
Greene says his Bulldogs ties motivate children to show up, but keeping a cheerful face and asking genuine questions about how they’re doing makes the difference.
“You’re a beast,” Greene said to a kid named Avery, who was in a wheelchair and recently had surgery. “You’re in beast-mode.”
When Greene started talking to another kid, Avery’s dad said, “that’s one of the best quarterbacks in Georgia history right there.”
“David’s just got a heart for people,” Jon Stinchcomb said, “and he is a winner in life.”
...READ MORE HERE...
August 5th, 2016 12:58 PM
ATLANTA | Approaching kids who are hurting isn’t easy, but David Greene makes everybody watching feel like they could make anybody’s day better.
The former Georgia quarterback and legendary Bulldogs linemen Jon and Matt Stinchcomb visited patients at Children’s Healthcare at Scottish Rite Thursday. They also played wheelchair football with 17-year-old kidney transplant recipient Tristan Phillips at the College Football Hall of Fame.
“This guy gets it,” a photographer said. “Which one is he? He gets it.”
It was Greene, who asked every kid what their name was and where they lived.
“He’s as down to earth and as approachable as anybody out there,” Jon Stinchcomb said.
Greene led Georgia to the 2002 Southeastern Conference title and went to the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks three years later, so a few kids into sports knew who he was.
While most parents were excited to see Greene, some of their kids didn’t care about football or the Bulldogs or the Super Bowl. Greene still made connections.
“You know what my son likes?” he said to one boy. “Legos. And let me tell you, they aren’t cheap.”
Autographs meant more to some than others, so Greene drew Georgia Gs on plastic helmets and the kids added their own style, some pink and blue and orange.
Flowers look cool on helmets, too.
“There's so much serious stuff they have to deal with,” Greene said, “so I love getting down on their level, playing with them, joking around with them.”
Many families were from Gwinnett County, so Greene played six degrees of separation.
“I went to South (Gwinnett High), so I remember when you guys had,” he’d begin, making a football connection linking to people somebody in the room knew. Parents were in need of good conversation, too.
“Life continues to go on when bad things happen, from work and bills still coming in and so you can imagine the stress it puts on the parents, all while you're wondering if your child is OK,” Greene said.
These days, Greene, married with two kids, works with Matt Stinchcomb in the insurance business. He lives in Grayson, not far from where he grew up. He does radio work and appears in a film room show on the SEC Network.
A couple times a year, Greene goes to Children’s Healthcare, a not-for-profit organization managing more than 870,000 patient visits annually at three hospitals and 25 neighborhood locations.
“We're blessed to have a hospital this caliber so close to us,” Greene said. “It's an hour away from so many people.”
Alyson Dixon says the announcement that Georgia Bulldogs were in the building was the only thing that made her 9-year-old son Austin perk up all day.
Greene says his Bulldogs ties motivate children to show up, but keeping a cheerful face and asking genuine questions about how they’re doing makes the difference.
“You’re a beast,” Greene said to a kid named Avery, who was in a wheelchair and recently had surgery. “You’re in beast-mode.”
When Greene started talking to another kid, Avery’s dad said, “that’s one of the best quarterbacks in Georgia history right there.”
“David’s just got a heart for people,” Jon Stinchcomb said, “and he is a winner in life.”
...READ MORE HERE...
