Gonzalez and Shadow Buddies Score Big at Hawthorne Elementary

Apr 24, 2001, 6:10:00 PM

APR 24 (afternoon)--Students at Hawthorne Elementary School got a rare treat today as two-time Pro-Bowler Tony Gonzalez helped first grader Sheylon Davis teach his classmates about seizures.  Sheylon had his first seizure at school over one month ago and with the help of Gonzalez and the Shadow Buddies Foundation helped his peers understand more about seizures.

  "The point is to educate and not to scare.  Education is the most important part.  The students identify (with what you are saying) and they listen," Gonzalez said after giving his lesson.  "Everybody should be out there giving back to the community.  When you do something like this, you get that adrenaline in your heart, like you do on the football field.  Everybody should try it.  There's nothing like it."

  The Tony Gonzalez Foundation, in conjunction with NFL Charities, purchased 50 Know Your Buddy Book kits to help grade school children increase consciousness and compassion for children with disabilities.  Shadow Buddies has seen much success as parents and children learn to deal with the child's disability and the social phobias that follow, especially when that child re-enters school.  Gonzalez has been involved with the foundation for the last three years and will introduce his Shadow Buddies to Kansas City and Huntington Beach, Calif., his hometown.

  With over 20 Shadow Buddies available worldwide, hospitals are now going out of their way to make the buddies available to patients in their pediatric units.  Major companies and civic leaders are also helping the cause, providing buddies to hospitals that cannot afford them.

  Following today's program, each student at Hawthorne received his and her own "Seizure Buddy" complete with a helmet, football and Gonzalez's name and number on the back.