Dedication/Motivation

When Walter Payton broke the NFL rushing record with 275 rushing yards in a game against Minnesota he had the flu.  Talk about dedication to a team, when most players now days get a cut on their lip they won't play.
It shows how much heart,motivation, and dedication he had for the love of football.  He was known to have a huge heart not only for the game but for his family, friends, fans, and his team.
Walter Payton is not only a hero "sweetness" for football, hes an all around hero in my eyes.  His nick name sweetness which was given to him in his college playing days for his smooth skills and movement, but the nickname sweetness could also go with his personality because he was a genuine sweet guy, who put others first.
Payton was also a smart guy, after his career with the Chicago Bears after he retired, he explored business opportunities with real estate, resteraunts, and race cars, but nothing held a candle to his dedication for helping other people.
Because of all his greatness he had accomplished, even though he has past he received man of the year award January 30th,2009

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.

Paytons Foundation

“Children have always brought a tremendous amount of joy to me and I feel

that if you can catch them at a young age you can really change a life.

There are a lot of studies that show that one act of kindness to these

children has a 40% chance of making that child have a completely different

outcome in their life. What you hope is that you can get a kid to

believe in something and to believe in themselves.”

-Walter Payton #34

The Walter and Connie Payton Foundation.
What is this foundation about? 
Foundations Mission:
It's a foundation dedicated to the emotional healing of the neglected, abused, and unprivelaged children by providing tools and opportunities to build self esteem and encourage a better family unit, giving for a better future.
They have a Holiday giving program with in the Foundation which consists of:
They give new gifts for christmas time, where the WCPF provides for approximately 16,000 children, children that are in great need of a little hope, some dont get any gifts what so ever.
They also have a Sweetness Run which is a 5k and 8k walk/run.
School supply drive, which collects new school supplies for the children who are in need.

If you'd like to learn more and want to donate to a good cause the website to go to is...
http://www.payton34.com/article.asp?a=175

“My husband started his foundation, The Walter Payton Foundation, in the

hope of providing for the in-need and neglected children within the State

of Illinois who found themselves part of the DCFS program. So that we, his

family, could continue on with the integrity and dignity of the Payton name

in caring for these children, we needed to create; the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation. Walter made the Payton name mean something special and we,

his family, accept the challenge to make only good things

happen in the Payton name.”

Connie Payton

 

Giving back!

Walter Payton didn't only have a legacy with the Chicago Bears, but also with his final days alive he promoted an organ donation commercials and brought new awareness out to the public.  Today, his wife Connie and their two children Brittney and Jarret continue to promote Walters favorite charitable causes, through the Walter and Connie Payton Foundation.
Walters two kids Brittney is a college senior and then his son Jarrett who is following his fathers footsteps and plays for a professional Canadian Football League.  Brittany is also following in her fathers footsteps with her organization Youth for Life campaign which encourages the young community to register as organ donars. "We've all had ideas and come up with things and different stuff to keep his legacy alive,"  Brittany said in an interview with Oprah.  I believe in family legacy is a good thing to keep someones spirit alive and to make a family stronger and closer.  Giving back to others keeps their fathers mission alive.