Superman Retires, Supermensch Remains

With the horrific news out of Israel last week and all the commotion of the political campaign, some readers who are not sports fans may not have noticed the big news out of the National Football League. Brett Favre, quarterback for the past 16 years for the Green Bay Packers, called it a career.
And what a career it was! Bud Lea, writer for the Packer Plus, wrote, “His legacy is a lock: three most valuable player awards, a Super Bowl ring, more NFL records than you can count, and a boyish exuberance and toughness that made him so popular.” Brett has rewritten the football record books. 160 career victories, most by a quarterback, 442 career passing touchdowns, 61,655 career passing yards, 63 games with at least three touchdowns, 55 games where he threw for 300 yards or more, 10 games of a passer rating of 100 or better, and, most significant of all, 253 straight starts (275 counting play-off games), the most starts by any quarterback. Don’t think that he was just lucky not to get hurt. Brett got hurt. One year he played with a broken thumb. Among other injuries he has had are a separated shoulder and a concussion. Nothing stopped the iron man of football from playing the game he loved. This year Sports Illustrated magazine named Brett Favre their SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR. Alan Shipnuck of SI wrote, “his greatest attribute is the devotion he inspires in those he touches – and his dedication to making their lives better.” Brett Favre may be a Superman on the field, but he is also a Supermensch off of it.
The article in Sports Illustrated detailed all the charity work of the foundations that Brett and his wife Deanna have established. The Favre Fourward Foundation (FOUR is Brett’s jersey number and FORWARD is the Wisconsin state motto) provides aide to disabled and disadvantaged children in Mississippi and Wisconsin. Over the last decade, the foundation has given out $4 million to dozens of charitable organizations focusing on special-education needs. Deanna Favre, a breast cancer survivor, has a foundation that helps woman get the care they need, but some can’t afford, to help fight their cancer. You can read more about all the causes and places that have benefited from Favre’s generosity in the SI. issue. One thing that is not in the article is the fact that he was given a special achievement award from the Make-A-Wish Foundation this year for making such an enormous time contribution to the organization. It was a regular part of Brett’s workweek. “So strong is the demand to meet the Packers’ quarterback among Make-A-Wish kids with life-threatening medical conditions that Favre scheduled a visit nearly every Friday when the Packers were not playing an away game.” When asked why he met with these children (95 times since 1992) Brett said, “It’s an honor to be asked.”
There is so much more to Brett Favre than his super play. He is a super mensch. He had one of the greatest careers in the history of the NFL, but his accomplishments in the community and to those less fortunate will continue to inspire those of us who admire and appreciate him. Thanks for the memory, Brett Favre.