Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver warmed the hearts of faithful Bills fans when he visited a Bills fan and his father, who is suffering from cancer.
The NFL does what it can to recognize greatness off the field, as all 32 teams nominate one player as a candidate for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
But one award, awarded to one of 32 deserving men, doesn’t capture the good deeds that NFL players are constantly doing for those around them. As millionaires and heroes to their local communities, NFL players strive to be there for fans whenever they can in a variety of ways.
For Peter Lussier, that meant being there for his father, who Lussier said has “very little time left with us because of cancer.” One Buffalo Bills player stepped up and was there for the Lussier family, cheering them up with a special at-home visit with Pete’s dad: Ed Oliver.
Ed Oliver visits dedicated Bills fan to cheer up family facing cancer
That’s not the only way that Oliver is giving back to local communities during the holidays.
With Thanksgiving nearing, Oliver is offering a Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway in his birthplace of Marksville, Louisiana.
Oliver won’t be able to attend the Nov. 20 event, as he will be preparing to host the Indianapolis Colts at Orchard Park, but he is still working hard to ensure those in his local Louisiana community feel the giving holiday spirit this season.
Last year, Oliver hosted a Christmas toy giveaway in Marksville, making a $3000 donation to the Marksville Fire Station and a $5000 donation to the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office in addition to the bountiful Christmas gifts.
Walter Payton Man of the Year nominations are far away, but in Buffalo and Markville, Oliver is making an impact on his community by being there for his fans wherever they reside.