Stephen Nicholas is a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, and his family had a rough year during their 2008 season. His infant son, Stephen Jr., had cardiomyopathy (a condition where the heart doesn't efficiently pump blood to the body), and ultimately required a heart transplant. The story ultimately resolved itself well, and provided insight into some pretty good folks within the Falcons' front office.

Leaving out the obvious parallels one could draw to the healthcare situation in the US, this is a nice story, and makes it worth giving a shout-out to the Falcons' organization (which is never easy as a lifetime New Orleans Saints fan). This is the second time in my adult life that I've been made aware of professional sports organizations having their hearts and minds in the right places, and it's a nice break from the grim stories that march through the news.

Here's Pat Yasinskas's blog on it over at ESPN.

Posted by: Open Blog at 08:00 AM | Add Comment
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