Ndamukong Suh is a controversial presence on the football field, having been continually fined for his questionable hits. Off the field, however, Suh appears to have the heart of a (Detroit) Lion.
Grant High School in Oregon, Suh’s alma mater, was facing some hard times in regards to its athletic programs. Last year its track was deemed unsafe, closing it for school competitions. Its soccer team had already been playing its home games at nearby Lincoln High School.
Then, Suh showed up.
On Thursday, the defensive tackle visited his old high school to announce a donation of $250,000 to the school’s project to get a new track and field. Suh’s donation finally gives the school enough money to do so, reports the Portland Tribune.
“This is an opportunity for me to help our sports programs compete at a true home field,” Suh said. “It’s something we have all wanted for a very long time.”
In truth, Suh’s donation capped off a 12-year effort to get the school a new field. Portland Public Schools donated $391,000, Portland Parks and Recreation donated $452,000 and even Nike chipped in with $350,000.
“We would not be breaking ground on this new field and track without the many years of hard work by the Grant community,” said Portland city commissioner Nick Fish. “This project is an example of how we all benefit when private and public partners come together around a shared goal.
“Two powerhouses helped close the final gap in funding this project, Nike and Ndamukong Suh. Ndamukong began his path to the NFL on this field and now he has helped ensure that other Grant athletes have the one of the best facilities in our city.”
Check out a photo of Suh and his family with a picture of the obligatory giant check in the tweet below.
[tweet https://twitter.com/ndamukong_suh/status/330126954642685952 align=’center’]
