By now you’re familiar with the story behind why Buffalo Bills fans love Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. His last-minute heroics against the Baltimore Ravens in January ended the Bills’ 17-year playoff, which was the longest in the NFL at the time.
Because his touchdown pass late in the game pushed the Bills into postseason play, about 17,000 fans showed their gratitude by donating more than $450,000 to the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation, a seven-year-old organization that supports seriously ill and physically challenged children, and their families in Cincinnati and Fort Worth, Texas.
The man who started the donation chain? Kevin Forrest, a Bills fan from Grand Island, Neb. who made the first donation ($30) and then encouraged other Bills fans on social media to contribute as well.
Because Forrest was the catalyst, the Andy and Jordan Dalton Foundation flew him to the Bills v. Bengals preseason game last week.
“Kevin’s small act of kindness ended up changing the lives of tons of kids and their families,” JJ Dalton told Buffalo News.
The game was a thrill for Forrest, but the memory that will stick with him most? Attending the press conference where Dalton announced that his foundation donated to the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo to say “thank you” to Bills fans.
“Being there to be able to see the donation take place and see the things that are taking place beside the football part I’m definitely just as excited about,” Forrest told KMTV.
The foundation made a donation to Roswell’s Angel Fund, which supports families with high emergency costs and medical transportation. It also donated a “Hub” (computers, iPads, mobile televisions, game consoles, etc.) to the pediatric department so children can find a little mental relief from their difficult treatments.
So, with the playoff victory last season and now a massive donation to the Buffalo-based cancer cancer, it’s fair to say Bills fans won’t just root for Dalton. They’ll go through a table for him.
