Tag: new years day

Gayle Benson and the NFL pledge $1 million towards terror attack relief

Gayle Benson, the Saints organization and the NFL pledged $1 million towards relief efforts for the New Year’s Day terror attack victims:

The New Orleans Saints announced Saturday that team owner Gayle Benson partnered with the NFL Foundation to donate $1 million towards relief efforts for victims of the New Year’s Day terror attack. The Saints shared statements from Benson and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a press release.

From Benson:

“Our community has experienced an unimaginable tragedy and our collective hearts are broken as we mourn for the victims and survivors on the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans. As a league, our cities and teams compete at the highest levels of competition and share spirited rivalries. Our staffs and players work tirelessly towards achieving our goals and we share in victories and defeats. However, through football we are also united and we stand arm-in-arm against all forms of hatred. We will vanquish terror and fear with an unwavering resolve and purpose rooted in love, compassion and kindness. Our focus has always been on providing aid quickly and effectively, and we are grateful for the collaboration with both the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) and United Way to ensure that these funds reach those who need them most.”

And from Goodell:

“Our hearts go out to all those affected by the tragic events in New Orleans. The NFL is committed to standing with the resilient community of New Orleans during this difficult time.”

Additionally, the NFL will honor victims of the Bourbon Street attack with a moment of silence before kickoff at each game in Week 18.

You can contribute to the Greater New Orleans Foundation here. Benson has made a number of high-profile donations to good causes in the New Orleans community over the years, and it’s good to see her stepping up here as well.

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Darren Rizzi expresses condolences on ‘very somber day’ after terror attack

Darren Rizzi said all members of the Saints were safe after the New Years Day terror attack, reflecting on ‘a very somber day in our community’

New Orleanians have had to experience the unthinkable this week after a New Years Day terror attack left 15 dead with dozens more injured in the early hours on Wednesday morning. The attack led to the rescheduling of the AllState Sugar Bowl quarterfinal game in the College Football Playoff and an increased police presence in the city.

The New Orleans Saints issued a statement in the aftermath, while interim head coach Darren Rizzi shared his own message when speaking with local media on Wednesday afternoon: “Everybody, just want to start off by saying today’s obviously a very somber day in our community. I want to send out my personal heartfelt condolences, thoughts, prayers, to all the victims in this senseless shooting and attack early this morning in the French Quarter.”

Rizzi said, personally, this “hits close to home” given his experience in 9/11. The New Jersey native lost family friends and former teammates in that attack and situations like this resonate strongly for him. He added that his five children were all the same ages of many victims in this attack and several of them have been out in the area where it occurred. Seeing a community that’s welcomed him and his family with open arms be hurt like this was painful.

He described a somber mood in the team meeting room on Wednesday, which began with a prayer and moment of silence for victims of the attack. Rizzi continued, “We talked for about 10 minutes this morning at the beginning of our team meeting, and nothing had to do with football. It all had to do with keeping things in perspective and how blessed and fortunate we all are at the start of a new year. What we do here is obviously important to all the individuals that are here, but there’s much more important things going on around the world and right here in our community and at home.”

Rizzi also said that all members of the organization were safe and accounted for, but he wanted to keep focus on the victims and their families and loved ones. Team leaders like Cameron Jordan have led fundraising efforts to support them, which you can read more about here, and they’ll continue to do good work lending the community a helping hand.

“We’re out here playing for the community, for New Orleans, for the state of Louisiana. We’re playing for our fan base,” Rizzi said. “In times like this sometimes, you can uplift people and you can bring, and shed a positive light in any way you can in a moment of disaster. Because that’s what this is, it’s a disaster. And our guys went out there with a focus today, but you know when practice is over you’re right back to reality. This is still sitting out here. There’s still a lot of stuff going on and I thought our players handled it very professionally and very personally.”

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