Packers Player Who Lost His Grandmother to Alzheimer’s Dedicates 2020 Season to Fundraising Effort
Watching a loved one deal with a progressive illness is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. If one Green Bay Packers player has his way, though, there will be fewer people going through Alzheimer’s.
Packers safety Adrian Amos lost his grandmother Geraldine to Alzheimer’s earlier this year, after she’d fought the disease for many years. In her memory, he decided to donate $1,000 to fight the disease each time he got a tackle this season. It’s been a very productive effort so far, as he recently passed the $50,000 mark.
His Alzheimer’s Association fundraising page shares the importance of his beloved grandmother in his life. It reads, “Adrian’s Grandmother, Mrs. Geraldine Thompson, or as he called her ‘Grama’, was a constant presence in the lives of her 7 children, 15 grandchildren, and a host of great grandchildren. Her giving spirit extended beyond her family and made an everlasting impact on Adrian. After a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, she was called home peacefully on June 18, 2020. Adrian’s passion to help end Alzheimer’s Disease runs deep and this season he’s pledging to make a difference!”
With several games left in the season, his tackle total already means more than $50,000 dollars will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association Wisconsin Chapter. That doesn’t mean he’s stopping, though. Now, he’s hoping to raise even more with an additional fundraiser. He’s asking fans to donate $31 to receive a green and gold #ENDALZ shirt. He wears #31 for the Packers.
Amos told WTMJ in Wisconsin earlier this season that he feels like his grandmother is keeping an eye on him during this effort.
He explained, “Before one of my games, my father texted me and reminded me that my grandma, over the last couple of years, really couldn’t understand enough to watch me play. For the past 8 to 10 years, she wasn’t able to do that. Now, she finally gets to watch me play. It’s good that she’s not suffering anymore, and she can watch me play.”
How much does he hope to ultimately raise? He said back in October that he’s been flirting with around 80 tackles a season, so anywhere in that neighborhood would be great.
Either way, he knows the importance of fundraising for a cause such as this, from his heartbreaking personal experience.
“Alzheimer’s disease is a cause that is very dear to me. After watching my grandmother battle with the disease, I truly understand the impact it has on families,” he said.
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