“Love. Love is the best gift you can give. My father gave us this and the San Diego Community.” Tyler Seau, son of the 2015 Hall of Fame candidate Junior Seau said when asked the best gift he was given from his father.
As Tyler spoke in front of 200 kids that swarmed the stage of the 20th Annual Junior Seau Foundation -Shop with a Jock about how was proud of his fathers impacts. “It’s a legacy and we are continuing it (my fathers foundations) and will continue to do this event year in and year out. It’s a part of giving. The ability for these kids to be able do this, but gifts with their own money and watch their families open them, that’s something special. That’s what my dad would want.”
Noted as the biggest holiday give back in America’s finest city, each child in attendance was not only paired with a San Diego Charger but also local athlete including Olympians, college SDSU/USD football players, and former NFL Hall of famers. After each was given $100 from the Junior Seau Foundation they were sent off to spend time with the player in Mission Valleys Target.
Although the Chargers legend was not there to experience this years vision, there were an abundance of people that he made happen.
Marshall Faulk and Hank Bauer lead the cast of Chargers that came out to support including: Manti Te’o, Reggie Walker, Nick Novak, Corey Liuget, Jerry Attaochu, Melvin Ingram, Ronnie Brown, Kavell Conner, Branden Oliver and Colton Underwood. Even Mike Scifres the Bolts punter attended despite a clavicle injury.
Veteran running back Brown reminisced about Junior, “It means a lot, when I was a rookie coming into Miami, Junior was one of the guys who took me in. Just his presence when he was in the room you could always tell he had a good spirit everyone enjoyed being around him.” Rookie Attaochu chimed in to say, “The kindness the type of man he was I see a lot of that in me. He was passionate for people and so it has been awesome to come out here.”
Walker found the meaning of the season in the child he was shopping with, “I would ever never met Edwardo (a participant in Shop with a Jock). He an awesome kid from our community and it’s been a impactful experience.”
Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer, Andre Reed was honored to be supporting his buddy, “I’ve been at this Shop with a Jock for 10 years now and Junior’s spirit is here. Not only in this event but what he’s done in his whole entire career. All of the people who participate in this are giving back and appreciating what Junior started.”
San Diego radio personality Billy Ray summed up the event perfectly. “When you meet the kids and you see them smile whether it’s running down the aisles or trying to get the cool toy… it’s amazing.”
Ray went on to leave us with his message to Junior, “You’ve done so much for San Diego every year, not just on this day but every year, it makes me smile.”
Junior was a man that gave and never stopped giving. He was a man that loved and everyone felt it. It was made clear this holiday season that Junior’s enshrinement into the Hall of Fame will be a small representation of his accomplishments that run deeper then on the football field.
PHOTO CREDITS: Pete Santos
VIDEO CREDITS: Dahryan Aluqdah, Jourdan Johnson
