Bobcats Make Holiday Hospital Visit

Now is the time of year where most young children spend their time putting together their wish lists while worrying if they’ve been naughty or nice the past year.

The children at Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital are like any other kids – hoping they will get everything they dream of this holiday season, but their list also includes a speedy recovery from whatever might ail them.

On Thursday, these children received an early gift, as Bobcats Brevin Knight and Bernard Robinson and Rufus Claus stopped by the hospital to talk to the kids, sign some autographs, pass out Bobcats goodie bags and most importantly bring some of the biggest and brightest smiles to all the kids’ faces.

“ I look forward to days like this just because of those smiles,” Knight said. “A lot of these kids have been through major surgeries or been in here for a little while, so I was looking forward to getting out and doing whatever I could to brighten their day. When they saw me and Bernard, and especially Rufus Clause, they really got excited about it. We just want to give them a day of fun and try to take their mind off being in a hospital for a little bit.

“We have a responsibility as professional athletes to get out and do things like this. These are a lot of the kids and mothers and fathers that support us every night. This is our way of giving back. We wish we could get out and touch everyone and say thank you to everyone, but we can’t. For those that we can say thank you too, especially in this situation where we can bring smiles to kids faces, it is a big part of what we have to do.”

As the players and Rufus went from room to room, it wasn’t only the kids faces that lit up either. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends all had smiles stretched from ear to ear.

“We found out a few minutes before (that the players were coming), but that was just fine with us,” said Evangela Williams, the mother of young Cezanne Gatling. “It was the perfect thing to lift my daughter’s spirits after going through three and a half hours of major surgery earlier today.”

“I know it was uplifting for her, because as soon as the guys left the room she said she couldn’t wait to go back to school and tell all her friends she met some professional basketball players,” Rodney Williams added. “Something like this is a big positive because our kids need to see more positive role models, so I think this had a great impact on the children here.”

As the proud father of three children himself, Knight not only felt a connection with the children as he visited each room, but with the parents as well.

“I know every parent here would do whatever they could to get their child out of their situation,” he said. “If there is even one day where their child’s mind can be taken off their pain or whatever they’re going through, then I think we’ve accomplished our goal for everyone. Hopefully that gives them a little more spirit to push on and keep going together.”

For a couple hours on Thursday, that is exactly what Knight, Robinson and Rufus were able to do. For as the father of 10-month-old Ellie said as he daughter stared in awe at her visitors, “I don’t think she’s feeling any pain right now.”

Moments like those are the greatest gifts of all.

Bobcats Host Holiday Hoops Clinic

The Bobcats visit to Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital wasn’t the only way they found to connect with members of the local community on Thursday.

Charlotte players Derek Anderson, Matt Carroll, Melvin Ely, Raymond Felton and Jake Voskuhl were at Charlotte Bobcats Arena to put on a special Holiday Hoops Clinic.

The Bobcats instructional clinic was an exclusive event held for members of the Jr. Bobcats.