Brian Burns already has plenty of support for the Pro Bowl.
What the Giants star needs now is more support for his brother, his nephew and other families in similar situations, which was the message at his “I Am A Champion of Autism” luncheon Tuesday at MetLife Stadium.
The Hype 4 Life Foundation of the Brian Burns Family Charities hosted the fundraising event to recognize involved fathers of autistic children.
“It means a lot bringing awareness and letting the autism community know that I’m here and I care,” Burns said. “It’s crucial to use my platform and my voice to speak for others that can’t.”
Burns’ older brother, former NFL player Stanley McClover Jr., is raising his 7-year-old son Champ in Georgia. Champ is non-verbal, and Burns has a “taking care” relationship with his nephew as he educates himself on the challenges facing autistic children and their parents.
“Being able to do [this] with my brother makes it a ton better,” said Burns, who, like McClover, was a Panthers draft pick. “One of the most powerful things he said is when he is out with his son in public he gets certain looks. That’s due to a lack of knowledge — not due to any ill intent. To be able to have that awareness spread around the world will open the minds of people.”
McClover said that a young Burns’ interest in a football career saved McClover at a time after his playing days were over.
To see Burns leading all NFL outside linebackers in Pro Bowl fan votes, setting a career high with 13 sacks to live up to the $141 million contract that he signed with the Giants and making a difference in the community is a point of pride.
“It speaks to his maturity,” McClover said. “That’s his nephew, and it hit him hard. Every time I talk to him about it, he’s always very emotional about it. He got involved, and it’s been a dream come true. I’m so proud to be his brother and be a part of his process. I think he’s at [67.5 career] sacks, so I’m keeping my eyes on him to get 100 so I can say I was able to witness that.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
