Photo By Jovi Prevot | A member of the Tim Duncan Project delivers food to a senior citizen assisted living...... read more read more
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ST CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands – Tim Duncan may have moved away from the U.S. Virgin Islands, but it he has not has left them in his past. In response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the retired basketball star donated various provisions to his home island to ease the stresses of post-storm recovery life.
The two Category 5 storms struck in a one-two punch only two weeks apart.
“We were hit with Maria and St. Croix got the destruction, and this is really home for him. He was like, okay I really need to get back and do for my people,” said Brig. Gen. Debora Howell, adjutant general, U.S. Virgin Islands National Guard.
Tim Duncan is a retired professional basketball player who played his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association. Widely considered to be the greatest power forward of all time, he is a five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA All-Star Game MVP and NBA Rookie of the Year. He is also a 15-time NBA All-Star and the only player to be selected to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams in all of his first 13 seasons.
Before his professional success, however, Duncan experienced a large hurricane here on the islands. He was born and raised on Saint Croix, one of the main islands composing the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“I went through Hugo when I was young," he said. "We got supplies from somebody who brought them in. I can't name who, I don't know who they were, but they brought them for me so I’m just trying to give back."
Not only did he donate supplies, but he is also in the field and at distribution sites making sure the people are getting what they need as part of an effort called the Tim Duncan Project.
“He is actually on the line doing the serving,” Howell said. “Our Timmy Duncan is doing what he needs to do for our Virgin Islands people.”
He brought down pallets of food to the islands.
“We brought all types of foods. We haven’t brought our water down yet. That’s our next thing,” said Duncan. “We’ve got some baby formula. The whole gamut."
Many people came out to help distribute the supplies.
“Our cause is to come and help out, bring the stuff out to the senior citizens,“ said Kimari McIntosh, a local teen. “We have to help our community in any way possible.”
A sense of community is important to the island people.
“He’s one of those folks that was brought up, raised up with good habits and knows [his] ground roots where [he] came from. The community raised [him], and he’s at a point where he can give back to the community, and thank God he’s giving back community,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dave Looby, an operations non-commissioned officer with the U.S. Virgin Islands National Guard and volunteer with the Tim Duncan Project.
But this isn’t just a one-time thing, Duncan said he is committed for the long haul.
“He plans to make it an ongoing [project], so as we can get throughout the restoration process," Howell said. "He will assist with the food back system here in the VI, just so that we have that additional supplement."
| Date Taken: | 10.09.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.13.2017 13:54 |
| Story ID: | 251308 |
| Location: | ST. CROIX, VI |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | ST. CROIX, VI |
| Web Views: | 180 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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