For 13-year-old Rey Daoed, “just being me is tough.”
Daoed, of Sammamish, is autistic and speaks through his iPad. He dreams of going to college to become a novelist and aspires to change others’ perspective of him and people like him.
So being picked to attend the Nov. 29 Seattle Seahawks game, to meet former wide receiver Sidney Rice and to hear how loud Hawks fans can roar was “truly special,” he said. And to top it off the Seahawks won that game 39-30.
Daoed was one of 24 students with Athletes for Kids, a local nonprofit, to participate in the Legion of Youth powered by Boeing program.
The program, created through a partnership between the Seahawks and Boeing in 2014, gives young people within the state a “unique opportunity” to attend a game and meet a Seahawk, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Ray Conner said in a statement. Through local organizations that work the youth, Legion of Youth recognizes children who face challenges in their lives and students who are committed to their education and active in their communities.
“Empowering local youth is part of our long-standing commitment to give back to the community where our employees live and work,” Conner said.
Athletes for Kids, just one of the many organizations to participate in Legion of Youth, gives children with special needs a role model and plants the seeds for a life-long friendship, founder and president Ken Moscaret said. The nonprofit pairs athletes from nine high schools throughout the Eastside, including Sammamish, Issaquah, Mercer Island and Bellevue.
This was the first time Athletes for Kids was chosen for the Legion of Youth program.
For the Nov. 29 Seahawks game, Daoed and other participants each received three additional tickets, which included access to pregame festivities, where he met Rice and got an autograph.
Daoed’s mentor, soccer player Ivory Randle from Skyline High School, was also chosen for the Legion of Youth program.
Daoed said Randle has helped him become more open to people, and that being part of Athletes for Kids has opened up his world.
The following students from Athletes for Kids participated in the program Nov. 29:
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Morgan Treat, Sammamish -
Mason Ponte, Bellevue -
Francisco Cayere, Issaquah -
Dolan Troske, Renton -
Shane Stoivocy, Newcastle -
Jessie Tappan, Renton -
Rey Daoed, Sammamish -
Zac Miller, Fall City -
Gracie Parker, Issaquah -
Jack Corazin, Sammamish -
Brayden Allaire, Sammamish -
Ethan Seet, Bellevue -
Nathaniel Jensen, Renton -
Ben James, Sammamish -
Jacob Tichauer, Sammamish -
Liam Driggs, Fall City -
Megan Kirschner, Issaquah -
Ivory Randle, Sammamish -
Eve Hormuth, Sammamish -
Taylor Gemmet, Sammamish -
Nadia Luqman, Sammamish -
Karen Burrington, Sammamish -
Mitch Flippo, Bellevue -
Jake Allen-Woodinville, Redmond
