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The Detroit News
Published 1:15 p.m. ET Oct. 27, 2020 | Updated 6:38 p.m. ET Oct. 27, 2020
As the pandemic continues to surge in Michigan and around the
country, Lions defensive end Trey Flowers wanted to make sure that the work
that first responders are putting in isn’t going unnoticed.
Through his foundation, Flowers of the
Future, Flowers donated 4,000 meals over the past two weeks to workers at Henry
Ford Hospital in Detroit. In a partnership with Happy’s Pizza, Flowers’
foundation served 1,000 meals of pizza, wings and fries to show their gratitude
for their efforts during the pandemic.
“There are still people dying and still people who are sick and
healthcare workers are still putting in energy, putting in the time and putting
in efforts to try to get it under control,” Flowers said. “I just wanted to
show a token of appreciation for them in this unprecedented time of the
pandemic.”
The
meals were split over the past two weeks, with 1,000 served each of the
previous two Wednesdays and Thursdays, during a morning and evening shift. Each
meal was individually boxed to reduce the risk of serving them in a bigger
group setting and so the workers could enjoy them at their leisure.
Flowers said he developed a greater appreciation for healthcare
workers after being around his sister, Jazzmine, who is a breast cancer
survivor after being diagnosed at the age of 21.
“When
she was going through her chemotherapy, there were people there to help her
when I visited," Flowers said. "When I took her to some of her
therapy appointments, I saw firsthand how important it is to just have
nurses and a lot of other people behind the scenes that a lot of people don't
really notice. We think about doctors and surgeons but there are a lot of
people that help make it go. Just seeing them, I understand that there are a
lot of people behind this and a lot of people working.
“There are families and kids who are missing
their mothers and fathers who are out there working. It just makes me
appreciate people in the healthcare industry that much more because it's really
an unselfish act when you leave your family and come in to help someone who may
be sick or may have a disease. They put their health at risk or their family's
health at risk, but they still choose to do it.”
Although Flowers wasn’t able to be at Henry Ford Hospital in
person to see the meals delivered because of distancing precautions during the
NFL season, he was happy to see that his efforts made a difference.
Because
of the distancing and precautions, it’s still difficult to put on events and to
show his gratitude the way Flowers normally would. He sees through videos that
the workers are thankful, but Flowers’ nature is more like he has to have with
quarterbacks — up-close and personal with some contact.
“That's one of the things that I
don't like about this pandemic, just the fact that I'm more of a hands-on type
of guy. I like to feel the vibes, the energy, see the smiles, get the hugs,”
Flowers said. “It's kind of hard for me. I'll do whatever but for me, it's just
seeing people happy and seeing people appreciative, with joy and smiles on
their faces.
“I
still wanted to do something just to let them know that I and so many other
people out here are looking out for them.”
Flowers of the Future typically seeks
to serve children, including donating TVs and gaming systems to Methodist Children’s Home
Society and Teen HYPE in Detroit.
The foundation also has done
considerable work in Flowers’ hometown of Huntsville, Ala., including
scholarships for students in the Huntsville City School and a program with the
Boys & Girls Club of North Alabama.
