Detroit Lions Montgomery and non profit team up to keep children warm during the winter
A partnership between the Detroit Lions and a nonprofit is working to make sure all kids in the area have a winter coat for Christmas, and this effort got a boost from a running back known around here as Knuckles.
David Montgomery knows firsthand how uncertain the future is. This was made clear when he left Sunday’s game with an injured knee.
But overcoming obstacles is something he is used to, and now the Lions running back is able to give back, which is something he takes great pride in.
Despite a tough loss against the Bills, Lions running back David Montgomery was on his feet standing side by side with fans Tuesday night, spreading joy and happiness this holiday season.
"I was not expecting any of this, I didn't, it was just amazing," said Oliver Henderson, a fan from Ontario.
Montgomery has teamed up with a Detroit-based nonprofit called The Yunion.
"We service about 1,200 youth annually, through life skills, mentoring, and prevention programs," said executive director Nicole Wilson with The Yunion. "It’s our mission to serve our families, our babies, and this fits right in," Wilson said.
They came together for a worthy cause: making sure kids have coats. Going without is something Montgomery knows firsthand.
"I was a kid who didn’t have a coat," Montgomery said. "My mom tried her best to do what she could to kind of get us the best coat as she could and she did just that"
He also knows the grit of Detroit isn’t exclusive to the football field.
"It’s gritty, blue-collar place, and the players and the people who give back to community, you can tell they care," he said.
The coats being gathered here are either new or slightly used, like Oliver’s, for example.
"These kids wear their coats for a month or two. I said let’s go do some good before Christmas," said fan Rachel Henderson.
The fans waiting in line to see their football hero know it could be a while before Monty is seen on the playing field. But the man himself has a message for those fans.
"It’s football; injuries happen all the time, and like I said weeks before and when I first got here, we got guys that when people go down, you can rely on. That's very reliable," Montgomery said. "It sucks that I happen to be one of the guys that’s down, but we got more than enough firepower to get the job done."
The Yunion will be collecting coats, new and gently worn, through Friday with hopes to give them out before Christmas.