Santonio Holmes‘ life changed in February 2009. As the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Arizona Cardinals, the wide receiver reeled in a touchdown pass along the sideline with 35 seconds left in Super Bowl XLIII.
The catch solidified Super Bowl MVP honors for the athlete and gave him a lifetime platform. Now, he’s using that platform to live out his life’s purpose. Holmes has partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to raise awareness of sickle cell disease. The disease affects his oldest son, and about 1 out of every 365 Black births in the U.S., according to St. Jude. Also, 1 out of every 13 Black people in the U.S. carry the sickle cell trait.
What have you been up to since playing in the NFL?
Pretty much just enjoying life. Watching the kids grow and joining them in their sports journeys and their college journeys. Just being a father, out golfing and being an advocate for St. Jude.
What was going through your mind when you reeled in the game-winning catch in the Super Bowl?
It was a life-changing moment. One of the things you dream about. When the opportunity came, you ask yourself are you ready? Being in that moment was a gift that was given to me to be a part of such a great run by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009. To cap it off with winning the Super Bowl, being an MVP has given me a voice right now to speak up about something that has touched me in so many ways, other than being a football player is being a father who has a kid with sickle cell disease. Now, I have an opportunity to have a voice for St. Jude and speak about my advocacy for sickle cell from this platform that has been given to me.
Did you know this would become your life’s purpose when you made that catch?
I didn’t foresee anything happening in the future. Just continue believing the things that we do for others, we tend to receive tenfold. One thing I would like to do is continue giving a voice to those who live with sickle cell disease an opportunity to see that people like myself and others who fight and continue raising awareness for St. Jude and other hospitals … that we have to support these kids that are dying and don’t have a voice. This is just a part of who we are in our DNA, and we just continue to support a great cause.
What has it been like partnering with St. Jude?
They are the world’s largest sickle cell program. They’ve supported over 900 patients each year. They raise awareness for all other missions and catastrophic diseases in other cities, other states. There are many other celebrities who take time out of their lives to host events to raise millions of dollars for St. Jude. I wanted to be a part of that mission that continued to give a voice to all these catastrophic diseases St. Jude is looking to stop.
For more information, visit the St. Jude website.
