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Finding Inspiration in Unlikely Places feat. Blake Rockwell ‘85
When Blake graduated college, he moved to Chicago and was a volunteer at the Children’s Hospital his younger brother spent time at as a child with a congenital heart defect.
While making his rounds, Blake met so many incredible kids. And while many were sports fans, most had never been to a sports game. Blake knew this is how he could help these kids even more.
In 2002 he created Special Spectators, a non-profit creating VIP all-access game day experiences for seriously ill children. They will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year!
Blakes sits down with Robert to talk about Special Spectators, the impact of players & coaches, and a bit about his junior & senior high school years at Cranbrook.
Blake Rockwell is the founder of Special Spectators, a non-profit creating VIP all-access game day experiences for seriously ill children. He is a graduate of the Cranbrook Kingswood class of 1985.
- [email protected]
- Blake Rockwell on Twitter
- Blake Rockwell on Linkedin
Blake’s favorite part of Special Spectators games
Sometimes they serve as honorary captains for the game that they're attending. They get introduced to the crowd during a media timeout. Which is my favorite moment still, it gives me goosebumps after 20 years. So imagine, over a hundred thousand fans, giving these kids the loudest standing ovation of the game. It's just a really powerful moment.
Not just kids are impacted by Special Spectators
I think that's a pretty cool place to be. Where you see a small child who is clearly going through a lot, medically, with a big, huge college football player. And each is being inspired by the other, but they don't realize that they're inspiring the other.
Life lessons he learned at Cranbrook
Not just the faculty and my coaches, but obviously, friendships that I made. The guys, who I'm still friends with (they're trying to shake me as much as they possibly can, but I track them down, unfortunately for them.) But the friendships that I made, living away from home, there are so many.
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By Cranbrook KingswoodWhen Blake graduated college, he moved to Chicago and was a volunteer at the Children’s Hospital his younger brother spent time at as a child with a congenital heart defect.
While making his rounds, Blake met so many incredible kids. And while many were sports fans, most had never been to a sports game. Blake knew this is how he could help these kids even more.
In 2002 he created Special Spectators, a non-profit creating VIP all-access game day experiences for seriously ill children. They will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year!
Blakes sits down with Robert to talk about Special Spectators, the impact of players & coaches, and a bit about his junior & senior high school years at Cranbrook.
Blake Rockwell is the founder of Special Spectators, a non-profit creating VIP all-access game day experiences for seriously ill children. He is a graduate of the Cranbrook Kingswood class of 1985.
- [email protected]
- Blake Rockwell on Twitter
- Blake Rockwell on Linkedin
Blake’s favorite part of Special Spectators games
Sometimes they serve as honorary captains for the game that they're attending. They get introduced to the crowd during a media timeout. Which is my favorite moment still, it gives me goosebumps after 20 years. So imagine, over a hundred thousand fans, giving these kids the loudest standing ovation of the game. It's just a really powerful moment.
Not just kids are impacted by Special Spectators
I think that's a pretty cool place to be. Where you see a small child who is clearly going through a lot, medically, with a big, huge college football player. And each is being inspired by the other, but they don't realize that they're inspiring the other.
Life lessons he learned at Cranbrook
Not just the faculty and my coaches, but obviously, friendships that I made. The guys, who I'm still friends with (they're trying to shake me as much as they possibly can, but I track them down, unfortunately for them.) But the friendships that I made, living away from home, there are so many.