Noah Bond: What Retired NFL Player Chad Lewis is Doing

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Updated: 7/07/2010 6:55 pm | Published: 7/02/2010 8:54 am

Written by: Noah Bond

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Retired NFL player Chad Lewis & ABC 4 Reporter Noah Bond

He is using his star power to lift Native Americans out of poverty and into classrooms. I was honored to talk with Chad at the American Indian Services Celebrity Banquet and Auction June 29 at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. The event raises scholarship money for Native American students.

The retired NFL Philadelphia Eagles tight end told me about his love for the Native American people and his trips to reservations. He said it's hard to see their living conditions. He told me, "People have no idea. When you go to the reservation it's massive, almost like a third world country. It's in our own borders and it's pretty incredible. The need is bigger than I can share in words."

Lewis thinks the solution is education. He is encouraging Native American students to stay in high school. He said there are too many opportunities for these fine young men and women to drop out. I'm impressed he is working hard to help others when he could easily sit back and relax.

The retired NFL player has a lot to brag about. He walked-on to the BYU football team and was a four-year starter as a tight end. While he played for LaVell Edwards, BYU finished in the top ten two times, with a rank of tenth in 1994 and fifth in 1996. He was later selected to the Pro Bowl three times in the NFL and help the Eagles get to the Super Bowl.

I also learned he announces the Super Bowl for the 1.3 billion people in China. He picked up the foreign language as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Taiwan.

Again, I applaud Lewis because he is putting others ahead of himself at a time in his life when it would be easier to sit back and enjoy his privileged life.

Victoria Comesoutbird & ABC 4 Reporter Noah Bond

Victoria Comesoutbird is just one of many success stories. I was also honored to talk with her as well. She said her Native American Services scholarships helped her earn her masters degree in education and counseling this spring. She could not describe her joy and sense of fulfillment because of her accomplishments. She is most proud of her 10 children and the example she set for them to achieve.

She said her life would not be possible with out people like Chad and the Native American Services. She even thanked the many people who helped her pay for her education, "I would like to thank each and everyone of them for their generosity. It's because of the people like them that many of us have the opportunity."

The organization would like to raise at least $2 million this year. It would be enough to fund 2,000 scholarships.

You can donated to American Indian Services, click on the website below.

Http://www.americanindianservices.org/