College football can sometimes bring out the best in people, even beyond the games.
On Saturday (Dec. 21), the Ohio State Buckeyes faced off against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round of the college football playoffs, a matchup that has only happened twice before. With fans across the nation watching the inaugural playoff games hosted at home stadiums, excitement for these teams is at an all-time high.
However, amid all the enthusiasm for the Buckeyes and Volunteers, real-life challenges keep surfacing.
This was highlighted when Buckeye fan Brutus Stark, known as @iron_brutus on social media, shared a touching update about his son Clark, who has recently been diagnosed with a rare condition called Sanfilippo syndrome.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Sanfilippo syndrome is a group of inherited lysosomal storage disorders that primarily affect a child’s central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. The condition leads to cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms, including distinctive facial features, sleep issues, intellectual disability, and respiratory problems. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Sanfilippo syndrome.
It is a rare condition, with researchers estimating that 1 in every 50,000 to 250,000 individuals will be diagnosed with some form of it. It is also a fatal condition, with a life expectancy ranging from 11 to 32 years depending on the specific type of the syndrome.
https://twitter.com/iron_brutus/status/1866546964323766509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1866546964323766509%7Ctwgr%5E83f8f658fdee5308a702eb48bfa88e445068d222%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftasteofcountry.com%2Ftennessee-volunteers-fans-help-little-boy-sick-rare-disease%2F
“I will be taking some time away to grieve, but I just wanted to express my gratitude to everyone I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with here over our mutual love for college football and the Buckeyes,” Stark wrote.
“Once I’ve had time to process everything, I’m sure I’ll be back, because if there’s one thing my son loves, it’s Buckeye football. Go Bucks!” he added.
Any parent will tell you that receiving bad news about your child is one of the most heartbreaking experiences. However, in times of difficulty, there is often an opportunity for kind-hearted people to come together and make a difference.
That’s when X user @BoCamaro stepped in. He reached out to fellow Volunteers fans and the charity group @BeyondTheSnap, aiming to raise funds to send Brutus Stark and his son Clark to the playoff game. And the response was overwhelming.
Donations began to pour in. Not only has the fundraiser raised enough to provide Clark with additional care that the family couldn’t otherwise afford, but any surplus funds will also be used to purchase Christmas gifts for children fighting cancer in hospitals around Columbus this holiday season.
This time of year serves as a wonderful reminder that there are genuinely good people in the world—you just have to seek them out. After all, Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State for a reason!
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