3 cafeteria workers were hit hard by Harvey. A quarterback gave them his first paycheck.
Three cafeteria workers at Houston’s NRG Stadium probably never expected this kind of bonus.
Houston Texans rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson walked into the cafeteria and gave the three women his first-ever game check to help them get back on their feet after they were hit hard by Hurricane Harvey’s massive floods.
In a video released by the team, Watson walks into the stadium cafeteria carrying three cards wrapped in red ribbon. Three cafeteria workers, all still in uniform, greet him by some tables.
“For what you all do for us every day and never complain, I really appreciate you all, so I wanted to give my first game check to y'all to help y'all out in some type of way,” Watson told the women. “Here you guys go.”
“Thank you so much,” one of the women says, beginning to cry.
“Thank you guys, hopefully that helps. That should get you back on your feet,” Watson says as he embraces each of them. “Anything else y’all need, I’m always here to help. Thank you.”
"If you can, you must."@deshaunwatson gave his first @NFL game check to help a few familiar faces. #HoustonStrong pic.twitter.com/rwcyGMSRFN
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 27, 2017
Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas, damaging or destroying more than 185,000 homes and wreaking up to $180 billion in damage. Watson said he hoped his action would help, at least a little bit, in the recovery.
His act of kindness was met with heaps of online praise, and many saw it as a small spark of positive news as the league grapples with criticism from President Trump about its players kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustice.
That gave me chills! He has always been a class act, and I'm so proud of the man he's turned into. @deshaunwatson Never stop being you!
— Cherilyn (@Ms_Junk28) September 27, 2017
I've followed Watson since his high school years and there is not a single reason to dislike him. https://t.co/Fu0pKGsWqf
— Gary Daniels (@GaryDaniels0) September 27, 2017
Deshaun Watson got his first start on 3 days notice did enough for his team to win and donated the check to Harvey impacted caf workers GOAT
— Patrick Claybon (@PatrickClaybon) September 27, 2017
Wow! THIS is the football story that should be told.
— Jen (@JennyOkie) September 28, 2017
Watson is no stranger to adversity himself. As a child in Gainesville, Ga., he played sports around his neighborhood with gangsters and drug dealers. He lived with his mother in a home built by Habitat for Humanity.
This story was originally published September 28, 2017 at 8:22 AM with the headline "3 cafeteria workers were hit hard by Harvey. A quarterback gave them his first paycheck.."