You often can’t control what life throws your way, but you can absolutely control how you respond to it. For several Miami Dolphins, a COVID-19 diagnosis and recovery has prompted an opportunity to make a better situation for those in need — and that’s exactly what players like rookie Malcolm Perry and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel are doing.
The Miami Dolphins have revealed that both Perry and Van Ginkel has donated convalescent plasma after COVID-19 recoveries in an effort to better position individuals less able to fend off the virus on their own to make a full recovery and avoid serious hospitalization or even worse. Perry, who was the team’s final draft selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, spoke during a feature video released by the Dolphins about his situation and why it made so much sense to use his brush with the pandemic for the greater good.
Making a difference on and off the field đź’Ş
Malcolm Perry and @AndrewVanGinkel donated convalescent plasma to help our community fight COVID-19.
Learn more > https://t.co/vmcvgMWAVC pic.twitter.com/xWm46Irtu0
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) July 31, 2020
“It’s a blessing in disguise,” said Perry.
You know, being able to give back to people who weren’t fortunate enough to react in the same way you did, being able to help them and give back to the community.”
Additional players on Miami’s roster to have endured the virus is not currently known, although the Dolphins do currently have two players, CB Cordrea Tankersley and LS Blake Ferguson, on the reserve/COVID-19 list. That isn’t a guarantee of a positive test, but it means the two have at the very least been in close contact with someone who did test positive for the virus.