David Nelson - Haiti Observer Blog

David Nelson, a New York Jets receiver, has it all: looks, fame, youth, talent, and money. But he never realized he had something else that overrides it: a big heart. In 2012 Nelson decided to visit Haiti as a volunteer to help with the recovery. And what he saw changed his life forever.

He found a small boy trapped atop some rebar and rescued him. He offered him candy, toys, and other kinds of gifts but the boy refused them all. When Nelson asked him what did he want, the lad held up his arms and answered "Hope". Nelson, in that moment, was transformed. He understood his mission in Haiti was deeper, more profound than handing out footballs at the inauguration of a school lunch program, or spending a few minutes shooting hoops with young fans. What the boy voiced and Haiti's poor communities are asking for every day is for their lives to be given hope, to not be filled with hunger, lack of electricity, schooling, healthcare, clothing, jobs.

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