Kid sent allowance to help save UAB football

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The story of the death of the UAB football program has revealed the worst in some people and the best in others. Bennett Williams is one of the good guys.

Bennett's a 5-year-old in Dublin, Ohio, who loves college football. Ohio State's his favorite team, but when he asked his parents to print out the logos of teams from across the country, the UAB Blazers caught his eye, too.

When UAB President Ray Watts announced the decision to kill the school's football program, "Bennett was devastated," his dad, Brad, wrote. Bennett's parents tried to explain what had happened.

Last week, Bennett asked his dad how much money UAB needed to save its football program. His dad told him, "More than mommy and daddy will ever see." Bennett asked if the dollar he just got as an allowance would help. His dad said he might be a few million dollars short, "but he insisted," his dad said.

So they sent the dollar to the UAB athletics department along with this note: "DEAR UAB. I LOVE OHIO STATE, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE FOOTBALL, TOO. HERE IS ONE DOLLAR TO HELP! - Bennett"

His dad took a picture of the letter and posted it on Twitter. A member of the UAB athletics department, Reid Adair, wrote back and asked for Bennett's shirt size.

"Come Monday," Brad Williams wrote, "Bennett got a care package with an official game ball, two shirts, a hat, bumper sticker, some tattoos, buttons, and a signed picture of the mascot, BLAZE. The best thing he got was a letter written to him from the contact in the athletic department. It thanked Bennett and said he made some people happy down there. He also went on to say they all agreed that Bennett was UAB's No. 1 fan in Ohio. This, in Bennett's mind, was better than any gift."

Bennett's dad got another email from Adair.

"Just wanted to provide another update," the letter said. "In addition to the shutdown of our football program, our athletic director stepped down as well. Our interim AD has been staying quite busy, but he and I talked today about Bennett's letter and his donation. You'll be receiving a note from him in the near future, and quite possibly another 'surprise' for Bennett.

"I showed everyone the letter and your note in our administrative staff meeting this morning. At the AD's request, we're having it framed, along with both pictures (his soccer picture and the one with his UAB stuff) and the dollar. It's going to be displayed in our primary conference room. As our AD said today, it will be a reminder to us all of the good people out there in the world - and our #1 fan in Ohio.

"I'll be sure to send you a picture of the completed display once it's done and hanging in the room."

Bennett's dad wanted people to hear the story.

"Not for Bennett," he said, "but for the generosity of a university that was down and out and took time out of their day to make a 5-year-old's day, week and month!!"

A great lesson for the holiday season.

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