Donovan Mitchell, Breanna Stewart, and Aaron Judge are among the dozens of pro athletes banding together to help #TheRealHeroes by sending out personalized messages to front-line health workers and dedicating their jerseys and uniforms to a real-life health-care hero.
The effort begins on May 6 when athletes will begin to share messages on social media customized to their chosen health-care worker. Other superstar athletes involved range from Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka of the WTA, to Drew Brees, to NHL legend Wayne Gretzky.
Here’s one of the videos, featuring Mitchell, who famously had the virus but has since recovered.
Without American sports providing a respite for front-line workers fighting the battle against the coronavirus, these athletes are reaching out to individuals in need of support at a dire time. Athletes will take their own jerseys or uniforms and replace their own name with that of their chosen hero, a nod to the fact that at a time like this, these folks are the ones who matter, despite not necessarily getting the individualized attention that we devote to celebrities and athletes.
Nurses, doctors, surgeons and emergency caregivers do not get to wear jerseys. Their work is not broadcast on television. They can be the invisible soldiers of this battle, so athletes from just about every major sports league in America are coming together to shine a light on these people that their efforts might be highlighted the right way.
