I do not play football for the Buffalo Bills and I did not suffer a traumatic cardiac event on national TV. I am not a firefighter who lost my life saving others. I am not a political candidate seeking contributions only to forget those who supported me.

I am a dad of a son with physical and mental disabilities that will require 24 hour care for his entire life and long after my wife and I are able to provide it. I am blessed to have the deep understanding of celebrating the little things in life. I am a prayerful man that believes God works in mysterious ways. As such, I’ve been moved to try to share this.

When Damar Hamlin’s heart stopped on national TV, the entire audience of spectators stopped in silence, those in the stadium, those in the broadcast booth, teammates, opponents, NFL lovers and NFL haters all prayed. It illustrated to me that there is a strong and common bond that in today’s world often seems missing. That bond is our collective understanding that life is fragile and not in our control and that we need God more than ever.

My heart, faith and conscious is telling me that the event on Monday night happened because God needs us too and he is telling us so. We did not disappoint and we all prayed.

Since then generosity has also been inspiring – Damar’s goFund me started in 2020 has exploded from less than $2,500 to over $7.5 million dollars. It truly is awe inspiring and I think a message is hidden here. We are a world full of plenty and blessings but often are not aware of how we can help. I believe that it should not take a tragic event to open the floodgates of prosperity to help all those in need. There are countless organizations that are doing God’s work that need you. Let’s start a trend that goes viral and does not take a tragedy to start.

So, as just a Dad praying that my son will be OK long after I’m gone, please consider supporting the day program and eventual residential facility that will take care of my son and so many others. Our God that we turned to collectively on Monday night in prayer loves each and every one of us. All he asks is that we are the best version of ourselves we can be. We can do that in many ways. Generosity is one of them. That can be monetary or simply be sharing and spreading the words or message.

Please share this everywhere you can. Prove to the world that people care. Prove that the many far outweigh the few. As it is written in Genesis 1 Verses 26 to 31 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth.

By the way, the name Matthias means Gift of God and the Academy in it's short two years of operation has really been that and more!