Hall-of-fame New York Giant Harry Carson donated one of his autographed mini-helmets to a charity auction for children with cancer, but some heartless thief stole it from the block, denying $450 in potential proceeds from benefiting kids in need.
The former linebacker, who played his entire 11-year professional career with Big Blue and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, learned of the callous crime from "Real Housewife of NJ" Kim Granatell, who blogged about the outrage.
When fundraiser leaders went to retrieve the mini-helmet, along with a football to be autographed by Carson, from the back room to give it to the highest bidder, it was gone.
As Granatell describes it on her blog, Emmanuel Cancer Foundation regional director Laura Savage "looked at the table and then to us, back to the table and finally to us, telling us the mini helmet was gone. 'How can this happen?' Laura asked. 'These are my friends.'"
The helmet was never recovered. And now the 57-year-old Carson wants to replace what was lost for the sick kids by giving the nonprofit foundation, which helps New Jersey families of children diagnosed with cancer, another chance for a donation.
Carson proposed a new auction to sell not just one, but two autographed full-sized helmets and offered to meet with the winning bidder in New York or New Jersey.
Both helmets are now up for online auction through the end of the month on Charitybuzz. Click here to check out the items and bid to help kids with cancer.
