43
49ers helping Valley kids
Photo
Stevie Pateras, 8, of Austintown gets a signature on his football from 49ers offensive lineman Al Netter.
BOARDMAN
Randy Moss forgot about San Francisco’s 24-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
It didn’t matter that his three catches helped move him into fourth place on the National Football League’s all-time receptions list.
And preparations for this week’s game against the New York Jets were put on the back burner.
Moss and a handful of his 49ers teammates took a time out to visit with kids and families at Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley in Boardman on Monday afternoon.
“It’s good for the heart and good for the soul to give back any way that you can,” Moss said. “Everything is not financial. Everything is more about putting a smile on faces and making people happy.”
The 49ers arrived in Youngstown late Sunday for what has become an annual stopover between road games.
Moss, a 14-year NFL veteran, began using his one weekday off to make community appearances as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. He has also founded charities in his home state of West Virginia.
“This makes our day to come back,” Moss said. “It shows that we do care. It’s not watered down. There’s nothing fake about it; it’s the least we could do.”
The Community Room in building A of the hospital campus was packed with people awaiting the players’ arrival. Some players stayed to make Halloween arts and crafts and eat ice cream, others made rounds to rooms and a few played on the outside playground with kids.
Dashon Goldson, a 49ers safety, changed positions and played quarterback in a game of catch with Conner Platt and his friend Jacob Sypelt.
“This is a blast,” Goldson said. “It’s a nice change of pace.”
Platt is a big football fan, he said, but always tunes into San Franciso games on Sunday evenings.
“I watch the Browns games first,” he said. “Then switch over to the 49ers.”
His brother, Tyler, has been a patient at Akron Children’s hospital. The Platt family, of Niles, was on hand Monday to receive autographs and take pictures.
The youngest member of the family, Sydney at 9 months, was a popular face among the players. They held her and rocked her. Joe Staley, a 6-foot-5, 315-pound offensive lineman, even let her wear his hat.
“I can vouch for Joe,” San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh said. “He’s got great hands. Your baby is safe with him.”
Harbaugh made a special visit to a friend he met during the 49ers’ stay in the Valley last year.
Tyler, a boy in remission from leukemia, gave him a chain with a dog tag of former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes.
“He promised it for me last year and he gave it to me this year,” Harbaugh said. “He had it waiting for me when we came over. It’s wonderful news [of his remission] and a wonderful gift, too.”
The 49ers will have a light workout today before they begin practice at Youngstown State on Wednesday.
Moss said the hospital visit was the perfect way to start the week.
“I haven’t been to a hospital in so long, and being able to see everyone from newborns up to one that was 16 to 17 years old, it’s very touching,” he said.
“One little boy knew everything about football, professional and collegiate.”