Getty Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes greets fans on November 14, 2021.
The true power and responsibility of an athlete are to inspire our nation’s youth. Whether they choose to be or not, NFL players act as role models for children and few modern-day superstars lead by example better than Patrick Mahomes.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback is not only one of the pillars of the sport, as well as his franchise, but has also taken on that leadership role in his community. Mahomes’ foundation, ‘15 And The Mahomies,’ is dedicated to “improving the lives of children” and one eight-year-old has been inspired by his work.
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Second-Grade Chiefs Fan Raises $500
Taylor Hemness of KSHB 41 Kansas City shared the story of Luke Possehl, an eight-year-old Chiefs fan that learned he could make a difference in his community, just like Mahomes.
“As part of a Black History Month project at school, Luke completed a research project about Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes,” Hemness reported. “He learned about Mahomes’ charity, 15 And The Mahomies, and told his teacher about it.”
Hemness continued: “‘He said, When I grow up, I think I would like to do a charity,’ Sophia Limjoco, Luke’s teacher, said. ‘And I said, You don’t have to be an adult. You can do that right now.'”
From there, Possehl got proactive, recording a commercial to promote the work done by 15 And The Mahomies. The second-grader and his classmates only asked for pennies from donors, but the money “came pouring in” and added up to a $500 check according to Hemness.
The student’s mother, Lindsey Possehl, told KSHB 41: “It definitely has shown him that one person can make a difference. You don’t need to be, he says it in the commercial, you don’t need to be famous and make a lot of money to do and make a difference.”
Luke Possehl attends Tarwater Elementary School in Chandler, Arizona. He’s been a Chiefs fan ever since his father bought him a Mahomes T-shirt on a Kansas City work trip.
As for the young humanitarian, Hemness noted that Possehl “hopes Patrick Mahomes hears about the work his school has done, and that, just maybe, Mahomes will pay him a visit in Arizona.”
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More on 15 And The Mahomies
The executive director of 15 And The Mahomies, Marques Fitch, commented on the charitable efforts of the Arizona student and his classmates.
“It’s kind of remarkable,” he told KSHB 41, “because you can see how it’s a domino effect. When people see people they look up to doing good, it inspires them to do good as well. And for this, for someone that’s not even in the Kansas City area, it really shows how far the reach can go.”
Mahomes’ foundation “supports initiatives that focus on health, wellness, communities in need of resources and other charitable causes.”
They highlight two programs on their website, “Read for 15” and “15 for 15.” The first encourages “children to develop a love for reading.” The latter “will support 15 youth charitable initiatives that focus on academics, science, the arts, classroom supplies, athletics, children with disabilities, after-school programs and more.”
The foundation also works with many other charities and has hosted sponsored events with the Chiefs star quarterback himself in attendance. If you’d like to join Possehl and his class, you can donate to 15 And The Mahomies here.