Former Redskins tight end Vernon Davis sent an encouraging video message to children who are being treated for long-term illnesses at Washington, DC-area hospitals during the pandemic. Given their underlying health concerns, these children are adhering to strict quarantine protocols to ensure they don’t also contract the virus.
“I wanted to let you know that I’m here for you, I’m thinking about you and you’re not alone,” Davis said in his message. “We’ll get through it together.”
“I’ve always been very passionate about giving back to the community,” Davis said in a statement to Washingtonian. “So I was happy to be a part of a video messaging program to send uplifting video messages to kids who are in the hospital during the quarantine. Those children are dealing with various health issues, and it’s important to me that they know they are not alone. We are thinking about them and cheering for them now and always.”
Davis recorded his message as part of a new virtual program launched by Hope for Henry, a nonprofit organization in DC that provides support services to children who have been hospitalized with chronic illnesses.
“Visits from professional athletes like Vernon Davis bring hope and excitement to hospitalized children, which is especially important during times like these when the kids are isolated and afraid,” says Hope for Henry CEO Laurie Strongin. “While we can’t do these in-person at this time as we have for years, virtual visits from the kids’ heroes bring unexpected joy and break down feelings of loneliness. We plan to feature more athletes in the coming days and weeks.”
Luke Mullins is a senior writer at Washingtonian magazine focusing on the people and institutions that control the city’s levers of power. He has written about the Koch Brothers’ attempt to take over The Cato Institute, David Gregory’s ouster as moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press, the collapse of Washington’s Metro system, and the conflict that split apart the founders of Politico.
