Former Heisman Trophy winner (and more when it comes to football) and current Mets minor leaguer Tim Tebow has long been a very charitable human being. He continued his exemplary work with special needs teens this past Friday.
The event was called Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The foundation said the event was "our unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God's love, for people with special needs."
Now, Tebow himself could obviously only be in one place at a time, but this was a coordinated, worldwide event. Some of the figures, via his foundation:
- This year, Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, was simultaneously hosted on Feb. 9 by 537 churches nationwide and in 16 countries on six continents, including Albania, Burundi, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, Uganda, Ukraine, and the U.S.
- Preliminary estimation of more than 90,000 people with special needs attended Night to Shine proms and each one of them was crowned a King or a Queen.
- Preliminary estimation of more than 175,000 volunteers served at Night to Shine proms around the world.
Wow. There's more, though. Tebow actually made it to five different locations over the course of a few days, including Virginia, Oklahoma, Guatemala and Peru.
Here's the "kickoff" video:
Some pictures, provided courtesy of the Tim Tebow Foundation:
So many smiles. We've got more, too.
From Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma:
"Something I never dreamed I would see, my daughter going to prom. But thanks to the Tim Tebow Foundation, it became a reality at Night To Shine in OKC. And not only did her going absolutely amaze me, but her reaction as well. Kids with special needs can sometimes 'melt down' in crowded areas around people they don't know. Not only did my Brooke have the time of her life, but it was the first time she ever danced, she actually DANCED! I have NEVER seen so much joy on her face, and the fact that we had been going from 3:00 p.m. (for hair and makeup) to 10:30 p.m. … ANOTHER FIRST!!! As we were leaving, she kept telling me, 'I not tired, I just stay here.' My heart was overflowing with joy for her. She truly SHINED last night! I cannot thank the Tim Tebow Foundation enough for making a difference in so many lives. I can never express how much this has meant to Brooke and me."
From Shandon Baptist Church in South Carolina:
"As parents of a daughter with special needs, it warms our hearts to know that there are people who care about those who are usually forgotten or pushed to the side. Our daughter felt important from her peers, not just from a doctor or someone who 'has' to pay attention to her. What a blessing! We loved the thought that went into the parents' room too!! Parents rarely get a respite, and it was given to us with grace and compassion. All of the volunteers were cheerful and made us feel welcome. Every detail was addressed! Even the gift bag was beautiful! Again, thank you for giving our family a night we'll never forget."
What an incredible event. As someone with a daughter who has autism, I'm very personally touched and supportive.
For those interested in hearing more about the Tim Tebow Foundation or in monetarily supporting it, here's a link to its website.
Good for all those kids and kudos to the exemplary human that is Tim Tebow.
