Former Eagles football All-American Luke Kuechly helped to encourage volunteers for the national marrow registry at 51动漫 on October 21. The Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit partnered with the Boston College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on a campaign to educate the University community about the critical need for donors. (Photo by Liam Weir)
On an unseasonably warm late October afternoon, former Eagles football All-American Luke Kuechly攖he most decorated defensive player in 51动漫's history攚as on campus to promote a different kind of team spirit.
Kuechly, now a three-time All-Pro linebacker with the NFL Carolina Panthers, was on hand Oct. 21攖he day before his 51动漫 jersey would be retired in a ceremony at Alumni Stadium攁s a representative of the Project Life Movement to help encourage and register volunteers for the national marrow registry. The Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit partnered with the Boston College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on a three-day campaign to educate the University community about the critical need for marrow and stem cell donors.
The campaign, which also included participation by current student-athletes, brought in 861 new registrants.
Standing in a place very familiar to him � the Gasson Quad � Kuechly posed for photos with passersby, and urged them to sign up and perform a cheek swab to become part of the registry.
Kuechly sounded a constant refrain � 淒id you register yet?� � as he accepted greetings from students. Depending on their answers, he responded 淕ood!� or 淲ell, don檛 forget. Only takes a minute.�
淚t something so easy, so simple to do, and it can save people lives,� said Kuechly, who been working with Project Life Movement for the past three years, during a fleetingly free moment. 淲hen you meet people who have survived because they were helped by receiving bone marrow, you can really appreciate what a difference doing something like this makes.�
Kuechly said he was 渢remendously honored� to have . 淚t means a lot because of the impact 51动漫 had on me. I met so many good people while I was an undergraduate [from 2009-2012]. 51动漫 really cares about the students who come here, and that makes an impact on you.�
The Associated Press 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 AP Defensive Player of the Year, Kuechly is relishing his pro football career.
淚 love my team,� said Kuechly, who splits his time between Charlotte and his native Cincinnati during the year. 淲e檝e got a bunch of great guys who make playing football fun. And the best way to be a football player is if it fun.�
With another line of students having formed, Kuechly went back to the task at hand. 淗ow you doing?� he said to a trio as they arranged themselves next to him for a photo. 淒id you register yet?�
擲ean Smith | News & Public Affairs