J.T. Thomas

So how would you like THIS guy to take you to a dance? Oh man, I would simply love it!


I don't often write flattering blogs about professional athletes, but J.T. is a different breed of athlete I think. He is a rookie linebacker for the Chicago Bears, he was the 195th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft from West Virginia.


I read this story ion the San Francisco Chronicle on May 25th, really restores my faith in professional football players!



The Bears' rookie linebacker is a superhero - certainly in the eyes of Joslyn Levell and many of the people who heard his story on the radio (Tuesday's Jim Rome show), or saw it on the Internet.


Thomas' 7-year-old brother rides a Morgantown, W.Va., school bus with Joslyn, an 8th grader with spina bifida who uses a wheelchair.


Joslyn, a Bears fan, got to know Thomas, and told him of her rough week - all the boys she'd asked to the end-of-year dance turned her down. Thomas consoled Joslyn, giving her a hug and telling her everything would work out. He saw to that. 


After Thomas' stepmother got permission from the school, he asked her to the dance, she accepted (Thomas: "I was nervous that by the time I reached out, she might have had a date and would have to turn me down."), and then he did the night up right.


He rented a black Chrysler, bought her flowers and a corsage, matched his tie to her dress and escorted her to the ball through a crowd of her awestruck classmates.


 "This was Joslyn's night," Thomas said. "It wasn't about me."
Joslyn later called it the best night of her life. They made a connection. "She's not just my friend for that one night," Thomas said.


I think we can all learn a lesson from this. So often we are cruel to each other, and why? Why are we not more tolerant and giving to each other? Why don't we try to help each other or to make someone else's life better?


I have a strong feeling that those who treat others poorly have a poor self image and don't really like the person they, themselves are, so they externalize it. You can see it on their faces with their down turned mouth and angry eyes.


On the other hand, those who do go out of their way to be kind and bring brightness to others have a great deal of self respect and self love, and they want to share it with the world. You can see it on their faces too (take a look at J.T.'s smile in the picture above.)


I might just watch some Bears games this season (hopefully we all will).