University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Spread Joy & Spirit In Jacksonville
December 31, 2014 | Football
Dec. 31, 2014
By Brian Rice
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
UTSports.com
The visit is an annual event as part of the festivities of the TaxSlayer Bowl, one that is always a big hit with patients and their families.
"It means a lot to us," said Vikki Mioduszewski, manager of marketing and public relations for WCS. "The kids love to have a visit, they love to have a nice little gift. Having both teams come in while they are in Jacksonville is very exciting."
The Volunteers brought patients a special gift: a traditional sock monkey stuffed animal, complete with an orange Tennessee TaxSlayer Bowl sweater. The players were joined by UT mascot Smokey and Vol cheerleaders and dance team members.
The visit was even more special for Ponte Verda Beach, Florida's Dillon Bates, who was eager to connect with members of his community.
"It was great, growing up here, being able to come in here and see the kids from this area and being able to give back to this community and give back to these kids that are going through a rough period in their lives," Bates said. "We wanted to inspire them to keep fighting and they inspire us to give us the strength to fight through our struggles."
One of those patients was Chris Jackson, who has undergone two major surgeries for infections that spread from his sinuses to around his skull. The recent health challenges have been a struggle for a kid who has always been an athlete, but made the visit from the Vols even more meaningful.
"I'm excited for my son, he's always been an athlete and I didn't want him to be down because of what he's been through," said Chris' mother, Demetris Jackson. "He's ready to go back out there and play as soon as heals up, so this is great to let him know that he can still do it."
Chris left an impression on Bates as well.
"He's a really bright kid, really in to sports," Bates said. "It was great speaking with him about his favorite teams and being able to connect with him like that."
The visit lifted the spirits of the entire Jackson family.
"The main objective in my son's life is to get better right now," Demetris Jackson said. "You don't see the average football team come in to visit like this, you just see them out at the field. It was a shock for my son for them to come in and see him and really made him feel special."
The visit was a reminder for the student-athletes that football is a big part of their lives, but the impact that they can make away from the field is just as significant.
"It's more than just playing football, more than just the competition," Bates said. "It's going out in the community and doing what we can to give back and support the people around us."
