It is the biggest trophy in all of the NBA. It’s sterling silver with a 24 karat gold overlay. It weighs approximately 14.5 pounds and the ball is almost the same size as a regulation basketball. Each year the award is created for the winner of the NBA Championship by Tiffany and Company.
In the USA, it is the highest award there is in all of basketball. It is called the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. Last year’s winner was the Miami Heat, and in fact, they have won it three times.
I had the honor this week to work with many from that championship team and two very special families. An event to raise funds for the DRI and the JDRF and an event for the opportunity to help people understand more.
What is most impressive about the Allen and Holtz families, who chaired this event, is their drive to make a difference. Hundreds of thousands of dollars was raised including a $75,000 custom-made watch along with a pair of sneakers worn in a special championship series by special player which was auctioned.
The highlight of day for me was not what one might think. It was impressive to meet some very big names in the NBA, it was impressive to see so many wonderful people doing so much, it was incredible to meet comedian/actor/writer, Chris Spencer, it was an incredible financial success, but it was meeting Ray and Shannon’s son Walker and Javier and Andria Holtz’s son Andrew that highlighted why today was so special. These two fine young men are the ones dealing with diabetes every day.
Ray Allen makes it very clear that his focus is to want a cure for diabetes.
As a fellow d-dad, I believe his sincerity one thousand percent. He, and his family, are on a mission. They have made a huge difference thus far, they will continue that trend. As a d-day I am happy they are involved as much as they choose to be.
When Andrew Holtz spoke at the dinner, the entire crowd was moved. It was a speech of hope. It was a speech of being in a room full of heroes. And to Andrew, it was more than his basketball heroes who came to the event, it was the heroes who came to help in a cause that The Allen Family and The Holtz families believe in. It was a speech not to tell everyone how tough his life is (which we all know too well what Andrew must deal with) but, rather, how full his life is and how much he wants to see a cure for diabetes. Being managed is not being cured.
A cure………..all the silver and all the gold in the world could not make a trophy ‘good enough’ to represent what that would look like; but then again, Walker and Andrew and all those we know and love who live with diabetes walking around WITHOUT diabetes…..who would ever need a trophy for that anyway?
I am a diabetes dad.
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3 replies on “A Cure……..Would any Trophy Ever be Big Enough?”
Just fabulous! Love this! Love these people.
Great story and great event! 🙂
We are so thankful for the generosity of the Allen and Holtz families and so lucky to have them in our community! We can not thank them and the DRI enough for the hope you all give our family. And while I have not had been lucky enough to meet Andrew Holtz, I wholeheartedly agree that Walker is one cool kid!!