HONOLULU – In the final day before the Hawai'i Bowl, the San Diego State football team visited the Kapi'olani Medical Center Friday in Honolulu.
Five student athletes – junior kicker/punter David Delgado, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Christian Jones, senior linebacker Seyddrick Lakalaka, sophomore linebacker Darrell Masaniai, and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Dominic Oliver - each got a chance to spend time with children suffering from various illnesses. The five brought bears wearing Aztec branded pajamas to the children.
"Today was such a blessing," Oliver said. "We've been exploring Hawaii these past couple days but honestly, today is my favorite day. This is what we do it for. Going back to see the kids, give back to them, and brighten up their day. Besides playing football, the best part is just the impact you have on society. You're kind of like the superheroes, you're big guys and everyone looks at you and you could use that to share positive things to people."
"It was great to come back to the place where I was born," Lakalaka said. "It felt full circle to come here and spend time with the kids, having fun, giving out teddy bears, and also giving them a great experience. It's very special place, this place has been helping a lot of families. To get to come back and give back, it's great."
In addition to interacting with the children in the play area, the five Aztecs got to decorate ornaments for the children and put them on the wall with the kids.
Later in the day the Aztecs went through scheduled walk-throughs before the game tomorrow against Middle Tennessee State.
San Diego State (7-5) will play Middle Tennessee State (7-5) in the 2022 EasyPost Hawai`i Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 3 p.m. HST (5 p.m. PST). The Aztecs are in a bowl game for the 12th time in the last 13 seasons after withdrawing from consideration in the shortened 2020 COVID season.
-SDSU-
SDSU Football Visits Kapi'olani Medical Center
