This morning I read on the Tennessee Titan’s website about how Ethan Bibb, a 9-year old Titan’s fan, was able to spend the entire day last Tuesday with Titan’s QB Vince Young, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I am a sucker for stories like this and I always have been. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like for Vince Young to know that young Ethan, who suffers from a life-threatening brain tumor, was given the opportunity to spend a day doing anything he could possibly imagine and he chose to spend it hanging out with his favorite player. Of the many cool things the Titans did to make Ethan’s day special, his favorite part was spending his lunch with Vince, just the two of them, in the cafeteria. “Even though he knows what he’s facing, Ethan still finds a way to laugh and joke.” said Young. “He made a difference to all the players he met, reminding us how fortunate we all are and to be very thankful for blessings we have in everyday life. I look at a young man like Ethan as an angel.”
This is not the first time I have been incredibly impressed with Young off the field. Last September there was a father’s breakfast for the student’s of St Paul Christian Academy, where Steve McNair’s sons Trenton and Tyler attended. It was Vince Young who showed up and spent the day with the boys, making sure they didn’t have to suffer for at least one day as they continued through a very difficult time in their young lives. For an encore, Young brought the boys along with him to the Pro Bowl as his guests this past February.
Vince Young has experienced many ups and downs in his four years in the National Football League. After a very successful rookie season in 2006, in which he was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, his 2008 campaign was a nightmare as he spent the season on the bench. The speculation regarding his mental health as he coped with being benched was very public and very difficult for Young.
As a Tennessee Titans fan I was happy to see Vince lead us to a 8-2 record during the second half of the 2009 season. As a Vince Young fan, I was absolutely thrilled by it. Despite the criticism he has taken for his play at times, for his mental stability being questioned, or for even his Wonderlic score, I think Young is a solid player with a really big heart. I think he loves being on the field and also realizes the impact he can have in peoples lives off of it.
The Tennessee Titan’s organization made it a first-class day for Ethan Bibb and his family and I really hope you will read the full article .
