You may not have heard of NFL wide receiver Bernard Reedy, but he’s definitely a guy who you can root for.
In addition to running slants and curls, the 25-year-old who signed with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers last year also works as a driver for Care Ride, a Tampa-based full-service transportation provider for those in wheelchairs. Think Uber or Lyft for those who need a little extra care.
He makes $11 an hour, but the real payout comes in the form of helping others, he told Jenna Laine at ESPN.
“I could still see me doing this [after football]. I’m financially stable enough now that I could be OK if I didn’t do this, but why sit home after you’re done working out, going over your plays and stuff? Why sit home when you can come out and make you some more money and help people on top of that? And I’m talking about really helping people, helping people who can’t help themselves.”
According to Laine, drivers are required to go through sensitivity training, and be first-aid and CPR certified. Of course, there’s also special training involved to operate the transportation vans and load riders.
Reedy began driving for Care Ride after he was cut by the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. It allowed him to earn some cash while continuing to train. And, now, he doesn’t have the heart to give it up because he’s attached to the riders’ stories.
If you’d like to learn more about Reedy’s side job, give Laine’s feature a read.
