The Texans linebacker JJ Watt offered to cover the funeral costs of 10 Texas teachers and high school students killed in a mass shooting. Now his granddaughter Jennifer Simpson is selling some of his sneakers to raise money for his funeral. This news comes as Watt continues to show his philanthropic side, even after Hurricane Harvey hit the region.
Jennifer Simpson is selling her grandfather’s jj watt sneakers to raise money for his funeral
A Texas native is selling her grandfather’s Reebok sneakers and XL Houston Texans jersey to raise money for his funeral. Simpson posted a link to the items she was selling on Twitter and got a flood of support. “I’ve never gotten so much support from my fans,” she wrote.
Though Watt is no longer wearing the Houston Texans colors, he is still an avid supporter of the team and their fans. After reading Simpson’s touching tweet, Watt responded emotionally. Watt, who has also praised the NFL star for supporting Colin Kaepernick when he kneeled for the national anthem, also supported equality for all people in the US.
A Texas Texans and Astros fan, Simpson posted a tweet announcing that she was selling her grandfather’s Reebok sneakers and jersey online to help pay for his funeral. Her grandfather, Jack Simpson, passed away in June, and the family has struggled to raise funds since his death. Despite her lack of funds, she has been fundraising daily since June 20.
On June 20, the NFL player’s response to Simpson’s tweet was surprising. After the tweet, Watt responded within 20 minutes. His response was so warm and touching, it prompted Tara Roderick, Simpson’s niece, to share it on Twitter. The tweet received more than 300 responses.
Watt has offered to donate the money from his shoe sales to help the family pay for his funeral. The family has struggled financially since 20 June, when her grandfather passed away. The NFL star and his teammates have offered to help. Several celebrities and individuals have also stepped forward to offer money.
Watt has been active in charity for the past couple of years. He recently donated $100K to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Watt is a five-time Pro-Bowl defensive end and won the NFL’s Walter Peyton Man of the Year award for 2017.
Simpson’s grandfather passed away unexpectedly on June 20. He left behind seven children, 21 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. His body was entombed at Brookside Funeral Home & Memorial Park. The family was left with a $16,000 balance at the time of his death. The family has been open about the financial burden this has placed on them since the upcoming funeral.
Watt offered to pay for the funerals of 10 Texas high school students and teachers killed in a mass shooting
After Hurricane Harvey ravaged Texas and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, NFL player JJ Watt has decided to step up and do something for his hometown. Watt’s offer to pay for the funerals of the 10 high school students and teachers killed in the Santa Fe High School shooting is a gesture that is both generous and unexpected. The Houston Texans defensive end said in a statement that he wants to “do what I can to help our community in the best way I can.”
Watt’s offer comes in the wake of a recent mass shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, where 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis killed ten students and teachers, a former student. Pagourtzis later confessed to his crimes, sparing some of the students so the story could be told. But Watt hasn’t stopped there. Since the tragedy, he’s been donating to other organizations and charities, raising over $18 million for hurricane Harvey victims.
Watt’s offer to cover the costs of the funerals of the 10 victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting seems to have made a big impact on the family of the victims. After the news broke, Watt took to Twitter to share his heartfelt response to the tragedy. “This is absolutely horrific. I hope it brings some closure and peace,” he wrote.
The shooting, which happened just three months after the Florida shooting, has reignited the debate over gun regulation. The shooting claimed the lives of eight to 10 students and teachers and left several more wounded. According to the local sheriff, there were no warning signs of this attack.
The shooter is now in custody and facing capital murder charges. He’s currently being held without bond in Galveston County jail. Authorities say Dimitrios Pagourtzis had a history of mental illness and had planned to kill himself.
JJ Watt has announced that he will pay for the funerals of the 10 high school students and teachers who were killed in the shooting. The Texas High School shooting took place in Santa Fe High School, southeast of Houston. While most of the victims were students, authorities have detained two suspected suspects.
One of the victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting, Jared Black, was a student who spent the summer with his family in California. His friend Elizabeth Ann McGinnis set up a GoFundMe page for his family. Another victim, Cynthia Tisdale, was a substitute teacher at the school. Her niece said that she received the news about her niece’s death on Friday night.
The suspect had no prior arrests and no confrontations with law enforcement, according to prosecutors. He made his initial court appearance Friday by video link from the Galveston County jail. The judge denied bond and accepted his application for a court-appointed attorney. According to the Justice Department, additional charges may be filed against the suspect, including charges related to weapons of mass destruction. The suspect is described by friends and acquaintances as a quiet person who played video games.
Watt’s philanthropic efforts after Hurricane Harvey
After Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, NFL star J.J. Watt and his teammates stepped up to help the region recover. Not only did they raise over $37 million for relief efforts, but Watt and his teammates also collected a ton of supplies. In a photo he tweeted, Watt can be seen standing in a warehouse filled with supplies. The Texans will deliver the supplies to the disaster area on Sunday.
Watt’s efforts were lauded by many people. His charitable efforts during the disaster led to him being recognized with the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. The award honors athletes who have made significant contributions to the community. In addition to raising money for relief, Watt is also helping the city of Houston develop a more sustainable plan.
Although it will take years for Houston to rebuild, his efforts are already making a huge impact. He visited homes that had been destroyed in Hurricane Harvey to inspect the progress of rebuilding efforts. On Aug. 30, he had raised $5 million. Within a week, he had reached the $10 million mark. He then crossed the $17 million mark, and by Sept. 5, he reached the $20 million mark. HEB CEO Charles Butt presented Watt with a check for $5 million. However, he still needed to raise another $17 million to get to $27 million.
Since Hurricane Harvey, the Watt Foundation has been able to distribute recovery funds to eight nonprofits. In total, more than 600 homes and 420 childcare centers were repaired through its efforts. More than 26 million meals were also distributed to families, and the charity has helped provide physical and mental health care to more than 6,000 people. Through these efforts, the Watt Foundation is determined to make a significant impact on the communities affected by Hurricane Harvey.
In addition to providing money for Houston’s rebuilding efforts, Watt also provided $8.5 million to SBP, a nonprofit that rebuilds homes after disasters. Cli Roberts, executive director of SBP Houston, said that each house can cost approximately $35,000 to rebuild. With the money provided by Watt, SBP plans to rebuild a hundred homes in Houston by the end of 2018.
As Hurricane Harvey was the most expensive storm in history, many organizations and individuals have stepped up their donations. The Hurricane Harvey recovery fund has raised nearly $1 billion to help Texas’ Gulf Coast rebuild. That amount is more than any other hurricane-related fundraising campaign in the past five years.
