Dublin Boy May Give More To UAB Team

Childhood innocence and generosity are apparent in a Dublin boy who mailed his allowance money to the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s football team. The financially-struggling program will end this season. Sitting down with WOSU, Bennett Williams expresses interest in continuing his mission to help. Don’t get him wrong, Bennett Williams, 5, of Dublin, is an Ohio State Football fan through and through. But he decided to cheer on the UAB Blazers after its fire-breathing dragon mascot caught his eye. “It’s my favorite kind of dragon," Williams said. Williams, who’s been to the ‘Shoe, wanted to attend a UAB game, but his parents had to tell him UAB football was ending due to its financial insolvency. His mom, Amanda Williams, says that was difficult. “I’m not sure he even quite understands how money drives football and most athletics and universities," she said. Williams decided he wanted to help. He wrote the team a letter. “It said, ‘Dear UAB, I love Ohio State. But I think you should have football, too.’” And Williams tucked a dollar – his allowance – inside. “Well, it was because they didn’t have any money because I didn’t know. But I finally [learned] that on TV," Williams said. Learning about UAB football’s troubles worried Williams about his own beloved team. “He’s asked if it could ever happen to Ohio State," his mother said. That was a little easier for Amanda Williams to answer, but difficult to spell out. “That’s hard to explain why that would not happen here in Ohio. So he’s not quite grasped that it’s not necessarily a possibility," Amanda Williams said. "So we’re kind of hoping this process helps to educate him a little bit about how everything works.” UAB followed up with Williams. They framed his letter and dollar, and hung it in the athletic department. And the team sent him a package full of UAB gear: T-shirts, a football, a hat, buttons, temporary tattoos, even a signed picture of the mascot, Blaze. Needless to say, Williams was thrilled. “I picked up that package, opened it and said, ‘Wow.’” Amanda Williams said she’s proud her son has paid attention to the life lessons she and her husband have been teaching him. “He obviously has been listening. And so it’s nice, too, as parents to feel we’re doing something right," she said. "And I think we really wanted to put a smile on some faces down in Alabama. It’s just heartbreaking what those players and coaches are going through.” Little Bennett Williams’ generosity continues. When asked what he’ll do with his next dollar... “Maybe buy something with it or maybe give another one to UAB," he smiled.