Maybe you have heard of the story of Jimmy Butler making a young man’s day from this past week, maybe you haven’t..
Either way, it’s incredible, and no matter what you say or believe— this event most likely would not have happened if it was not for social media and technology.
In a world where we hate on social media at times, and we are addicted to smart devices— I thought it would be cool to shed some light in a positive way.
So, the story goes— Jimmy Butler is a player for the Miami Heat, and per usual, an NBA superstar was resting or recovering from an injury and was a late game-time scratch.
Unfortunately, there was a young man who traveled from Argentina to watch his favorite player, and even made a sign trying to grab his attention.
Well— when Miami announced Jimmy wasn’t playing, the young man was devastated to say the least and social media noticed.
And Jimmy, who rarely “rests” or takes days off, was also crushed, but did everything he could to make it right..
"Honestly, I was devastated," Butler said of missing Wednesday's game. "I don't want to miss games. I'm glad I did get to meet him, talk to him about it. He's a huge basketball fan. He plays basketball himself. He actually does everything. He skateboards, he surfs. He's an incredible kid so I'm glad we could get to spend some together."
This is what sports are about.
This is why athletes are so powerful.
I love Jimmy Butler for recognizing his role in this young man’s life and doing something impactful for a complete stranger.
And in 2023, its awesome to see the internet, apps, social media, etc work in numbers to allow this to happen.
Props to the Miami Heat, and even more props to Jimmy Buckets for going above and beyond and doing this for this young man and his family.