Tua Tagovailoa: Giving Back

7/31/2024

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is to take part in ESPN’s “My Wish” series. The program is a part of the “Make a Wish Foundation” that grants the wishes of children in critical conditions. Many wishes requested involve kids wanting to meet their favorite athletes. Since the show’s creation in 2006, 84 sports-related wishes have been fulfilled. This month Tagovailoa visited 15-year-old Yisroel, who is awaiting an organ transplant. His condition requires the young boy to self-administer shots and also prevents him from playing his favorite sport, football. 

Tagovailoa is no new face in the world of philanthropy. In 2021 he started his own charity called the Tua Foundation. Their mission statement states they are"dedicated to the support of youth initiatives, health and wellness, and other charitable causes." He explained his rationale for creating the organization, "It is my deepest hope that the Tua Foundation will make a meaningful impact in support of those in need," Tagovailoa said, "Helping others is a tenet of my faith and who I am. This is a cause close to my heart."

Tagovailoa primarily focused his foundation’s impact on the communities and places that impacted him the most. As one of the earliest initiatives, a total grant of $50,000 was spread out to three locations. Firstly, he chose South Florida, the home of his Miami Dolphins. A third of the grant went to the Police Athletic League of North Miami, an organization that provides opportunities, aid, and programs to help youth in need. They focus on “latchkey kids who are home alone, or kids that don’t really have anything to do in their neighborhoods, and getting them involved in athletics.” PAL would later implement academic tutoring and mentorship programs. As a product of the pandemic, mental health problems and the number of at-risk teens increased rose. PAL responded by partnering with the Florida Mental Health Coalition to aid struggling youth. Every week a mental health professional visits the center to assist kids who often have suppressed emotions and problems. One of the program's kids, Tatiana Fleurissaint, a young girl from Florida lost both her parents to COVID-19. She spoke to the fostering nature of the organization. She described herself as “not the type of person that lets my feelings be displayed.” But through the program’s mental health initiative, she eventually grew to be comfortable sharing her suppressed emotions. She confidently declared, “I feel safe, it’s my safe place.” Tagovailoa's grant to the PAL program made waves in upping the scale and reach of their operations to reach more kids like Tatiana.

With the grant, Tagovailoa also chose to help the state of his Alma Mater, Alabama. He selected the Big Oak Ranch as a recipient. The organization since 1974 has provided a safe and Christian-based home for more than 2,000 abandoned, abused, and neglected children. Big Oak Ranch provides their children with nurturing and formative programs to help them move onto the next stages of their life, without the dependence of home. One sub-program of the ranch, the Boys’ Ranch program, immerses young men in activities such as fishing, ranching, sports, canoeing, and other outdoor activities. The program sets out to teach boys “good working habits” and to equip them with the “confidence” to lead and earn a wage. 

Tagovailoa is of Samoan dissent but grew up and attended high school in Hawaii. In hopes of impacting his Polynesian community for the last section of funds, Tagovailoa chose the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. The organization celebrates the impressive and fierce impact Polynesian players have had on the NFL field, despite being a minority among players. Their missions are to preserve the history of Polynesians in football, provide scholarship opportunities for promising Polynesian prospects, and to support Polynesian youth in their development. The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame has already provided over $250,000 to Polynesian high school students. 

Tua Tagovailoa embodies a prime example of deeply considering the needs of others. His decisions speak to his community-minded spirit, something that all with large platforms should strive to emulate. The excellent selections of charities these 3 charities were just the start of Tagovailoa’s foundation and philanthropic journey. Since then he has partnered with other charities like Nick’s Kids Foundation, the National Pacific Islander Education Network, various high school programs, and more.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Works Cited

“10K Views · 229 Reactions | Gronk FELL ASLEEP in His Pre-Draft Meeting with the Pats 😂 | Rob Gronkowski -Gronk Did WHAT in His Pre-Draft Meeting?! 😴 😂 (🎥: NFL) | by TheScore | Facebook.” Facebook.com, 2022, www.facebook.com/watch/?v=521363795126947.

“Gronk Loves the Kids: How His Childhood Inspired the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation.” Www.buccaneers.com, www.buccaneers.com/news/gronk-loves-the-kids-how-his-childhood-inspired-gronk-nation-youth-foundation.

“Gronk Nation Youth Foundation.” Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, www.gronknationyouth.org/.

Gronkowski, Rob. “LOOK: Rob Gronkowski Shaves Head for Kid’s Charity, Buzz for Kids.” CBSSports.com, 2014, www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/look-rob-gronkowski-shaves-head-for-kids-charity-buzz-for-kids/.

Sanudo, Ryan. “Rob Gronkowski Shows off Dramatic New Look as Fox NFL Sunday Star Buzzes off Hair to Raise Money For...” The US Sun, 9 June 2024, www.the-sun.com/sport/11584893/rob-gronkowski-fox-nfl-sunday-buzzes-hair-charity/.

Instagram, 2020, www.instagram.com/gronk/p/C75JBTjRs_k/?img_index=1.