Blake Rockwell
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Special Spectators
A great day at “the game” for seriously ill children.
How many of us, as children, dreamed of standing in the middle of a packed sports stadium, basking in the cheers of thousands of people? When Blake Rockwell thought about how he could make a positive difference in the lives of seriously ill children, it was this childhood fantasy that motivated him, inspiring him to found Special Spectators and transform dreams into reality for seriously ill children across the country.
Like so many American stories in the 21st century, Blake’s a-ha moment took place against a backdrop of personal crises. In 2001, Blake’s job at a New York investment bank fell victim to a corporate merger; Blake’s wife Karyn went missing for a few hours during the September 11th attacks (she was found safe); and then in the spring of 2002, Karyn became ill while delivering their daughter, who was born 10 weeks prematurely. The collective effect of these traumatic events left Blake searching for answers, asking himself if there was a deeper meaning to life that he was somehow missing. “Yesterday’s history. Tomorrow’s a mystery. Today is a gift,” Blake told himself, remembering the old adage, but still the question remained: “What are you going to do with that gift?”
Then, in a casual conversation with Karyn between naps and diaper changes one day, Blake came to a realization: “She said to me very simply, ‘Think about what you love to do. You love kids and the children’s hospitals and sports.’” Soon after this epiphany, Blake attended Landmark’s Self-Expression and Leadership Program, where he forged the basic idea for Special Spectators: Give seriously ill kids and their families the opportunity to attend and have a great time at college sporting events. In the five years since the project began, Special Spectators has grown to include 40 participating colleges and universities.
The tickets are donated by the colleges and universities. Sometimes they give 10 tickets, sometimes 100. Word has spread in the no-nonsense college football world that this is a good program with real benefits for the kids. The parents are the spectators—the kids get the whole college sporting experience: Often, they are invited to directly participate in special game-day activities, from attending tail-gate parties before the game to going out on the field to tossing the coin at the beginning of the game to meeting the players themselves in the locker room after the game.
And yes, the kids are frequently introduced over the stadium’s PA system, leading to a deafening roar of greetings from thousands of supportive fans at the game. As Special Spectators says on its Web site, the organization’s goal is to “provide one of the greatest days in the lives of the seriously ill children and their families who attend” the games. One glance at the faces of kids who have participated in one of Special Spectators events leaves little doubt that Blake’s project has succeeded in that core mission.
See more articles about Grads Making a Difference.
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