Bobcats Visit Hemby Children's Hospital

While Tuesday brought a chilling rain and bitter cold temperatures to Charlotte, it was a rare sunny winter day on Monday. For a select faction of ailing children at Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Hospital, a ray of hope also came from another direction.

Bobcats point guard Jeff McInnis and rookies Walter Herrmann and Ryan Hollins, along with Rufus toured through the children’s hospital – fresh from a weekend set and two-hour practice – and handed out autographed Bobcats pennants and T-shirts while posing for pictures and bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.

“It shows a sense of care for the community,” said Mike Caudill while holding his 10-month old son Cole, who was set to undergo his sixth surgery. “To take the time to see a little kid, it brightens the parents’ day too. I know (Cole) is too little to worry about it and wasn’t sure what Rufus was all about, but the parents need to get away too.”

Each pennant was personalized for the approximate 20 patients and supporting families, who were excited to see NBA players make a visit. Used to a revolving door of nurses and doctors pacing throughout the halls, it offered a huge surprise when a four-member Bobcats entourage entered the various rooms.

The children ended up having a profound effect on the players, all of whom were visiting the hospital for the first time as Bobcats, as well.

“It just shows you how you’re blessed to have a healthy son that you can play with on a daily basis,” McInnis, referring to his six-year old son also named Jeff, said. “You feel for these kids. Everyday you get mad at your kids, but you’ve got to keep things in perspective. Most of these kids are having trouble right now and hopefully they’ll come out of it, but it just shows you that we complain about stuff that’s really not important. It just shows that we are blessed.”

Walking through the hospital made playing time or a blown referee’s call slightly less pertinent. The players were especially emotional after walking through the pediatric intensive care unit where infants and young children are battling to survive.

“Those are real life situations that happen all the time and it doesn’t get all better in one day,” Hollins said. “Hopefully, we could brighten one of their days, and that definitely makes us feel better.”

It was also a way for the children and their parents to form what will hopefully be a lasting impression of a Bobcats franchise that is committed to giving back to the community.

“With everything going on in their world, we’re just hoping to help them smile,” Hollins said. “When they get older they might look at these pictures or see a Bobcats game and associate that with a good time they had here with us. In the future, that really might mean something.”