Dwayne Haskins was a hero on and off the field for the city of Pittsburgh
For most NFL fans, what Dwayne Haskins did in the city of Pittsburgh was limited to him being the backup quarterback with the Steelers. But his unfortunate premature demise has shown how much he meant to the city. He gave back to the city that gave him a second chance on the field and made sure he paid back his dues to the community in full.
Dwayne Haskins was a volunteer at heart
Every time Dwayne Haskins was not stepping onto the field, he was off it trying to make Pittsburgh a better place. He could be found reading to elementary school children in his spare time, as he did at Fulton Elementary School once. Not only did he hang around afterward to answer some of the students' questions, he was even receptive to a hug from a student.
On Wednesday, the @steelers, @dh_simba7, and @ckuntz24 visited Pittsburgh Arlington and Pittsburgh Fulton to read to the classes for #NationalReadAcrossAmericaDay. Thank you, @SteelersCR and Blayre Holmes-Davis, for this special opportunity! #PPSreads #PPSLiteracyWeek2022 https://t.co/lESJ9LY18G
It's no wonder, then, that coach Mike Tomlin said this about him:
“He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community.”
Dwayne Haskins was active in every facet of volunteering for the city of Pittsburgh. He handed out hygiene kits, backpacks, and school supplies at Pittsburgh public schools.
As part of the Salvation Army’s Project Bundle Up, he and his teammates took local kids to Dick's Sporting Goods. During Christmas, he turned into a real-life Santa Claus and delivered gifts, food, footwear and healthcare items.
He also opened up about his own struggles in real life and meshed them with the story "Ruby Has a Worry" that he told at a school in the south side of Pittsburgh. After reading this story to the elementary school, he went to help eighth-graders with their algebra and participated with them as they worked on the whiteboard.
RT @steelers RT @SteelersCR: On Wednesday, @dh_simba7 & @ckuntz24 visited some local elementary schools to read to the classes for #NationalReadAcrossAmericaDay. https://t.co/hFSjdxiakB
Perhaps, his life was best summed up by the school principal, Colleen Smith, who said:
"Dwayne was genuine, caring and so impactful to our students in the short time with him. We are forever grateful to have had the opportunity to meet him."
Unfortunately, no one will get to meet Dwayne Haskins again after his life was cruelly cut short in an accident. But the lives he touched will also bear testimony to the effect he had on the community. He may not have played a single snap in a competitive game for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he did not need to don the jersey every day to become a hero in the community.