Caroline Howe – NBC San Diego – Fans of former Chargers safety Eric Weddle came together Wednesday to share money they raised to cover a fine the star incurred at a game in December.
In turn, Eric Weddle said he will donate the money raised — $10,000 to cover the NFL fine — to the domestic violence charity Alliance for Hope International.
The fundraiser started through a GoFundMe account started by Sean Patrick Farrell, who also runs You Know You’re a Chargers Fan When Facebook page.
The controversy over the fine happened during the Dolphins versus Chargers game on Dec. 20 when Weddle remained on the field during halftime to watch his daughter perform.
The team has a policy that asks all team members to stay together during halftime, according to Mike McCoy, the head coach of the Chargers.
This sparked outrage in the fan community. Only eight days after this occurred, a GoFundMe page was created in support of Weddle.
But instead of using the raised money to pay the fine, Weddle decided to donate the money to charity. (It wasn’t immediately clear if Weddle had already paid the fine.)
Alliance for Hope International, the organization to which Weddle donated the money, aids those affected by domestic violence. The money will go towards a camp for children exposed to domestic violence, said Casey Gwinn, the president of Camp HOPE. The camp allows children to get away from violence and simply be kids through a summer mentoring program.
During the Wednesday morning event, Gwinn praised Weddle for being a true NFL role model who prioritized his family and thanked him for openly supported victims.
Weddle’s previous experience with domestic violence charities includes his Chargers themed jewelry line, which raised over $7,000, according to Patrick Pickford, co-founder of the company that carries Weddle’s line.
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