By Nick Gallo | Thunder Basketball Writer
“What have you been doing today at school?” the man asked the kindergarten student. After a moment of hesitation, the little girl craned her neck up high, piped up and squeaked, “Waiting for Thunder players!”
Drawing a laugh from Nick Collison, the veteran Thunder forward who asked the question, and the rest of the staff at Special Care in Oklahoma City, the kindergartner’s answer was an unscripted moment that epitomized Tuesday afternoon’s incredible visit.
Collison was joined by fellow big man Enes Kanter at Special Care, a school that focuses on early childhood education, therapeutic services and specialized care for 200 children from the Oklahoma City metro area, many of whom have special needs. The staff and students were decked out in Thunder gear, and the school had been decorated to the nines in preparation for Collison and Kanter’s visit. As the duo popped in from classroom to classroom to meet with children as young as infants all the way up to teenagers, the reaction from the kids was of pure joy and excitement.
“When people like Enes and Nick come and spend time with our kids, it makes all the difference,” Special Care Director of Marketing & Development Kelli Dupuy said. “It says that they’re important and that they are special. A lot of times our kids are underestimated, sometimes overlooked. Our children are the stars of the show here by having these amazing athletes come and visit them.”
The children’s energy was contagious, but the visit was also excellent positive reinforcement for all of the challenging work the staff does on a daily basis.
“For our staff, who work very, very hard to provide outstanding care for our students, it was a shot in the arm and so exciting to have [Enes and Nick] come,” Dupuy explained. “It was also really amazing for them to see the smiles on their students’ faces. That really makes all the difference.”
This was Kanter’s first visit to Special Care, but far from Collison’s first time meeting with the kids and staff. A few years ago, Collison joined the Thunder at one of the many community events that he participates in each season and was blown away by what he experienced.
Since then, Collison has maintained a relationship with the school, finding ways to give back and contribute. That first visit was an eye-opener for the Thunder veteran, and one that made him intent on coming back as often as possible.
“I just kept imagining if I were a parent of a kid who needed some extra help like some of these kids do, how difficult it would be to try to juggle a job, the rest of your family and school and all those things,” Collison said. “It’s a very valuable piece to all these families.”
“It seems like all of the kids are getting taken care of and getting what they need,” Collison continued. “It’s very important for these families to have these people here that are knowledgeable in what the kids need and are also willing to be there all the time for them.”
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