Gavin Floyd's Generous Donation
As we enter the holiday season, it is truly refreshing to read stories like this.
Tim Smith, a 24-year-old college student from Trinity, Florida with no medical insurance, was in need of two new prosthetic legs. Issues with Tim's old legs had made it difficult for him to walk and engage in his favorite activities: mountain and rock climbing, ultimate frisbee, and softball. Unfortunately, the leg manufacturer informed him that a new pair would cost $31,000.
Despite the exorbitant cost, Tim remained upbeat and impressed friends and family with his positive attitude and loyalty and faith. As a result, many of those friends and his local church successfully raised $10,000.
But it was still not enough.
That is, until Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd and his wife, who reside in Trinity during the offseason, stepped in. Upon learning about Tim's story, Floyd agreed to pick up the rest of the tab.
TBO:
It didn't take long for Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd and his wife, Leanna, to decide to pay the remaining $21,000.
Leanna's mother, a former math teacher at Trinity, raved about the student who took off his prosthetic legs to play soccer and softball. He's awesome, she said. He hustles all over the field. Imagine how much more he could do if he got those new and improved limbs.
"We talked about it, prayed about it, and just felt led to do it," Gavin Floyd says. "To know what he's achieved in his life really moved us."
The Floyds made the donation without ever having met Tim. Earlier this month, the couple came to campus to meet him for the first time. They brought a signed jersey and baseball glove; Tim brought Trinity College sweatshirts and a thank-you card. He gave them a demonstration of his new prostheses and told them he didn't have to contend with blisters anymore.
The 28-year-old Floyd, a former first-round pick, is a talented pitcher. Based on this story, though, it is clear that he is an even better person. Apparently, all White Sox pitchers were born with the giving spirit.