Most of Falcons linebacker Stephen Nicholas’ 2008 season was spent traveling back and forth between Children’s Hospital in Boston, and team practices. It became fairly obvious after the birth of Nicholas’ first child, Stephen Jr, that something was not right. “Holding him in my arms, I knew he wasn’t functioning like a regular little baby,” Said Lebon Nicholas, Stephens’s father, when talking with the Florida Times.
Doctors soon diagnosed Stephen Jr. with cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart is not able to properly pump blood throughout the body. Nicholas’ baby needed a new heart. Mike Smith, who was in his first season as Falcons coach, allowed Nicholas to fly to Boston after every game to be with his family where he would stay until Wednesday before rejoining his teammates.
“There was a lot of prayer man,” Said Nicholas. “My wife was very strong during the situation and held it down while I was practicing two-a-days. It was a very tough, hard time.”
Thankfully, Stephen Jr. was able to finally get his heart transplant on October 17th, 2008, and his father is currently able to watch him enjoy life as a normal three-year-old.
That experience, as well as the upbringing from his father, a bishop at Victory Tabernacle Church in Jacksonville, who raised eight boys, has motivated Nicholas to give back, and help as many families as possible. “My dad is my hero,” Nicholas said.
The only time the Nicholas family spends in the hospital now is helping families who are in their former position. This past November, Nicholas and his wife Irene served dinner for the intensive care patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The turkey drive allowed the Nicholas’s to serve dinner to children who were not able to eat with their family during the holiday.
Most recently, Nicholas participated in the “Toys for Tots” foundation at a local Atlanta Toys”R” Us on December 6th. Some other Falcons teammates including Ray Edwards, Thomas Decoud, and Dominique Franks were able to assist Nicholas, as well as local Marines. “We’re teaming up with the marines, trying to help out as best we can during the holidays. It hasn’t been easy [for these families].” Nicholas said. The shopping spree aimed to provide enough toys for all of the children at the Boys & Girls Club.
When asked if helping young families and children in the community meant a little something extra to him now after having a child of his own in danger, Nicholas said, “Family is important regardless of the situation.”
Nicholas’ current plans are to continue helping families through the holidays. His organization, Nicholas’ Impact Foundation, which was established in 2008 with help from his wife, is also holding a toy drive to help families in Atlanta. The goal is to assist as many families as possible, and Nicholas said he would feel a sense of accomplishment “even if we only help a few.”
When it’s not the holiday season, the Impact Foundation is also centered on academics and leadership. Schooling is something Nicholas places a huge priority on, he wants to avoid students and families being blindsided by tests and other requirements before starting college. “We tell students about what they need to do their first year,” Nicholas said.
The foundation also held its annual football camp this past June in Jacksonville with great success. The free camp was set up to accommodate 200 boys and girls between the ages of 10-18, and included a t-shirt, lunch and a visit from other NFL players.
You can visit Nicholas’s website for more information about himself, as well as his organization at www.stephennicholas54.com, donations are welcome.
