CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey stepped off the football field Monday to donate video game consoles as part of a new initiative close to his heart.
McCaffrey, on behalf of his Christian McCaffrey Foundation, presented Atrium Health’s Levine Children’s Hospital with nine portable video gaming stations. The stations can be moved from room to room throughout the hospital, letting young patients play with friends and family.
The nine stations are the first donated on behalf of McCaffrey’s The Logan Project.
What You Need To Know
Christian McCaffrey donates nine portable video game consoles to Levine Children's
Donations are to honor the memory of a young Panthers fan, whom died of cancer in 2021
McCaffrey said he worked with Logan Hale's mother to honor her son's wishes
Logan Hale, the project’s namesake, was a young football fan and cancer patient. He loved the Carolina Panthers and specifically McCaffery, according to his family.
After an NFL employee asked McCaffrey to record an encouraging video for Hale, McCaffrey said he started following Hale’s fight against cancer.
Sadly, Hale passed away from childhood cancer in late 2021. In his obituary, the family wrote Hale wanted to give other kids the opportunity to play video games while receiving treatments or staying in the hospital.
“I found out he had been buried in my jersey, and I just kind of broke down,” McCaffrey said Monday. “That hit me like a ton of bricks.”
McCaffrey said he read Hale’s obituary, which mentioned his video game dream and love of the Panthers, and decided to put his vision into action.
“Put together a relationship, found out he wanted to do this while he was going through what he was going through. I was extremely determined to make that happen,” McCaffrey said about the time with the family after Hale’s funeral, which the Panthers star paid for through his agent.
Hale’s mother, Kristina, was present at Monday’s press conference. She spoke briefly to the gathered press, saying she was moved to see McCaffrey and his foundation put her son’s dream into action.
“I’m truly speechless because, he loved to do things for other people more than he loved receiving things. And, since the day that he went into the hospital, all he thought about is how to make other kids lives better,” Hale said.
Hale and her other son were presented with a signed jersey and a big hug from McCaffrey.
“I know Logan would be over the moon, to see this actually come true, his dream,” Kristina Hale continued. “But most of all because his favorite player, the person he admired the most, is making it come true.”
Hale said her son liked watching McCaffrey because she said he fought for every yard and never gave up, according to the foundation’s website.
“The irony is he’ll end up leaving an impact on way more people than I ever could,” McCaffrey said about Hale, “I’m super grateful to just be a part of his story and to carry on his legacy and fulfill his dreams of helping kids.”
After the press conference, McCaffrey and some of his Panthers teammates, Shaq Thompson and Jeremy Chinn, played video games with patients at Levine Children’s Hospital. Around the room, pictures of Logan Hale with the Logan Project logo were on screens as patients laughed and joked with each other, and the players, about the various games.
McCaffrey said Monday’s presentation was just the beginning. The NFL star said he hopes to expand the program to the NFL’s 31 other home cities and then other spots across the country.
“I think to be able to play video games with one of your favorite players, you know I’d love to see this in all 32 NFL cities. And obviously, beyond that as well. But for a kid who’s a fan of Tom Brady or Aaron Donald or someone like that, to be able to play video games with one of these guys for a little bit, would be so special. And so, once again, I just want Logan’s legacy to continue, not just in Carolina but everywhere,” McCaffrey said about his future plans.
A Levine Children’s Hospital employee said the nine mobile video game stations will move from room to room to give patients the opportunity to play while staying at the hospital.