Former Louisville Cardinal, NFL player Eric Wood on what drives his philanthropy

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Former Louisville Cardinal and Buffalo Bills player Eric Wood calls Louisville home.

He serves on the board for Kids Cancer Alliance, which offers summer camps and helps children with cancer and their families. He says the reason he’s so passionate about giving back is because of his younger brother.

When Wood was 3-years-old, his brother Evan was born.

”He was born with severe cerebral palsy,” Wood said. “Severely disabled. Never walked, talked, or breathed on his own. But to me that was normal.”

Wood said even though Evan couldn’t communicate with words, he did with his face.

”He had a smile that could light up a room,” Wood said. “For the last four years of his life, he had to live in a nursing home. He got so big. He got my size as well.”

Evan died at 11 years old. But his older brother thinks about him often.

”When I was in college and we’d have tough conditioning sessions and we’d be running, I’d think to myself, how am I going to complain about running when Evan never even got to walk?” Eric said.

The former UofL center went on to be drafted into the NFL in the first round of 2009. For nearly a decade, he played with the Buffalo Bills. He never forgot about the pressure his parents faced when he was growing up.

”There’s just so much emotional, financial stress that just comes on you every single day when you have a special needs child,” Wood said.

That’s why he started the Evan Wood Fund in Buffalo, New York. In Louisville, he is on the board of the Kids Cancer Alliance raising funds for children with cancer and their families.

”They have hardships we don’t simply because their child was born sick or disabled,” Wood said.

He said it also gives him an appreciation for his own family with two healthy children. Wood’s daughter Grace is 7 years old and Garrett is 4 years old.

Wood’s wife of 10 years, Leslie, said it’s something she thinks about every day.

”Even when they have little sniffles or runny nose or a cough, I say, Lord thank you that this is not something more serious,” she said. “Thank you that this is not the cross that we have to bear.”

Wood recently wrote a book called “Tackle What’s Next”. In the book, he wrote about the advice he’s received over the years and on his podcast.

He also wrote about Evan, and the lessons his younger brother taught him about giving back.

”Serving others gives you fulfillment in life, and trying to make an impact on others gives you fulfillment and hope that far surpasses anything else as far as longevity,” Wood said.

“Tackle What’s Next” will be released to the public Oct. 11.

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