NFL Player Rolls Up Sleeves for Magic City
It's not every day you see a millionaire roll up his sleeves and help the community; but, that's exactly what happened Wednesday at the Zion Star Missionary Baptist Church in Birmingham.
DeMarcus "Tank" Tyler, a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears, came to help hand out food as part of the "Feed the Children" program. "He's about to get ready to start camp, a lot of people don't have to go do that, but within the kindness of his heart, he made the sacrafice to make this thing happen," says Antonio Jackson, a friend of Tyler's who played an instrumental role in getting the hulking lineman to Birmingham.
"He asked me one day, he said, 'I'd like to bless your church,' and he came in and said, 'I'm going to feed the children,' and I said, 'That's a great idea'.," says Brenda Jackson, Antonio's mother and a member of the church.
"I was raised in a church. God has blessed me to bless others, so I feel good, I think that's what keeps me moving, keeps me working hard, knowing I'm not only working for myself, I'm working for the community that's in need," says Tyler, who's entering his fourth NFL season.
Even though he's originally from Arkansas and went to college in North Carolina, he feels it's important to give back to the entire southeastern region. "I really want to touch every city, and Birmingham is one of those cities in the south. I was born in Little Rock, raised in North Carolina, so, I really want to touch the south, and try to help out as many areas as I can."
Tyler's goodwill tour continues tomorrow when he'll be in Charlotte, after previous stops in Tuskeegee and Camden.