How Deebo Samuel and Columbia police are bringing Christmas joy to local children

Former Gamecocks football player Deebo Samuel and the Columbia Police Department are making spirits bright for 50 local children by surprising them with new bicycles and helmets.

The surprise came Thursday afternoon at Greenview Park, where the star wide receiver teamed up with Columbia police and Academy Sports + Outdoors to surprise 50 deserving children with new bikes and helmets for Christmas as part of Academy’s annual holiday bike donation program.

The program goes on throughout the month of December at Academy stores in 16 states and will benefit 5,500 boys and girls at more than 120 donation events similar to the one in Columbia on Thursday, according to a release from the Columbia Police Department.

“It’s always good to give back to the community and just come back and see the kids and put a smile on the kids’ faces,” Samuel said earlier this month at a similar event in Greenville. “It’s always good to get to see kids smile, just come in here and pick up a bike.”

Samuel said that a bike was one of the first things he asked for as a Christmas gift as a kid, The State reported then.

Reporter Matt Connolly contributed.

This story was originally published December 20, 2018 at 5:17 PM.