With all the talk of the NBA playoffs, the NFL offseason and the ongoing MLB season, sometimes we forget that there are more important things in life than sports. About 10 days ago, former All-Pro tight end Greg Olsen released a series of tweets about his son TJ, and the fact that his heart was nearing its end. He needed a transplant sooner rather than later.
TJ was born in 2012 with a congenital heart defect and had to undergo four heart surgeries, including three open-heart procedures to install a pacemaker. Well, if you were looking for some good news to get your weekend started, I have it for you!
How about that for some good news! However, TJ is still in surgery, as Olsen tweeted this morning. So, with that being said, keep TJ and the Olsen family in your thoughts!
Greg Olsen Charity
Olsen played his last NFL game in a Seattle Seahawks uniform and retired in late January of this year. However, the work he does off of the field is both amazing and inspiring. His foundation, The HEARTest Yard Initiative, raises money and awareness for children with congenital heart defects. In 2019, the Olsen’s gift of $2.5 million established The HEARTest Yard Congenital Heart Center. The center was open in 2020. It is a 25,000 square-foot pediatric cardiovascular and congenital heart outpatient clinic is located in the Medical Center Plaza building adjacent to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.
It’s somewhat of a crime that Olsen has never won the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. He was a finalist in 2018. This story hits home a little bit for me, as someday I may need a liver transplant. Greg Olsen was a great player, and an even better person off the field. Keep TJ and the Olsen’s in your thoughts throughout the day, and follow him on twitter for more updates (@gregolsen88). I’m sure he’ll be updating whenever he can.
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