Bo Jackson‘s heart is clearly as big as his muscles … the two-sport legend just revealed he donated to Uvalde shortly after May’s horrific shooting, helping pay for the victims’ funerals.
The former NFL and MLB player told The Associated Press on Wednesday he felt the need to lend a helping hand after having been to the city multiple times throughout his years of traveling through west Texas.
“It’s just not right for parents to bury their kids. It’s just not right,” said Jackson, whose donation had previously been made anonymously.
“I know every family there probably works their butts off just to do what they do. … The last thing they needed was to shell out thousands of dollars for something that never should have happened.”
Jackson told the AP he and a close friend quietly flew to Uvalde three days after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary … and gave a $170,000 check to Gov. Greg Abbott, and offered then to pay for the funeral expenses.
“In a truly selfless act,” Abbott said. “Bo covered all funeral expenses for the victims’ families so they would have one less thing to worry about as they grieved.”
Added Jackson, “Uvalde is a town that sticks in your mind. Just the name.”
“I don’t know a soul there. It just touched me.”