In Shawn's freshman year of high school, at a parents football meeting, we were given a list of equipment we had to purchase in order for our sons to play. One of the items was football cleats.

Cleats are expensive. For Shawn, they were twice the price.  He wore a size 16 shoe.

A new job and in catch up mode just making ends meet, we couldn't afford them.

His football coach offered to purchase the cleats. In return Shawn helped out with practices, doing equipment set up and break down. Shawn wore that one pair of gifted cleats throughout high school.

Every practice. Every game.

Shawn took them with him to The University of Illinois and then to Winona State.

Throughout high school and college, he said one day he would buy cleats for kids that can't afford them. In college, he was giving his own cleats away to kids that needed them.  We always talked about the  importance of giving back.

Shawn gave back, always volunteering, helping others, and giving his college cleats away