Hoffman premiers Broke Off at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

Dec 18, 2006

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 4411 times

December, 2006 MEMPHIS, Tennessee. It wasn't seen at Metro Jam, it wasn't at Interbike and it wasn't at a corporate shindig to schmooze the video sponsors. Mat Hoffman premiered the new HB video, Broke Off video in Memphis, Tennessee to a room full of kids who know what it means to be broke off. Young eyes, bald heads and blue masks stare back at Mat. Suddenly his 20 surgeries, wrecked shoulder and ruined knees seem like a blessing. "You can't give these kids much," says Mat. "There is a harsh reality here, but you can give them a moment to forget about the challenges they have in front of them and just have a good time. This gives my job purpose."

That moment came in the form of Brad Simms ice picking up rails, Will Love cracking his head in a concrete park, Baz Keep breaking his thumb, Mark Potoczny flowing his backyard trails, and Seth Kimbrough 540 wall riding the side of a cargo trailer. The new HB video didn't disappoint.

The kids here know what it's like to be broke off. Seeing Anthony Napolitan drain yellow fluid from his hand with a spork and watching Ryan Barrett talk on video with his doctor about the titanium screw holding his elbow together are things the kids can handle and laugh about. They won't tell you how painful a bone marrow transplant is. They won't tell you how chemotherapy pollutes their body. A broken elbow seems like a broken nail to them, but they can relate, and they don't think Mat's a wuss. They are still psyched to see him ride his bike and jump out of planes.

Mat and Kevin Robinson have been coming to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and the Target House for four years now and Will Love made his first visit at this event. Spending time with the 98 patients and their families, handing out donated presents, signing posters and laughing is all part of the program and the nearby Target House is their home away from home during long-term stays at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

St. Jude's is a place where one pays for treatment beyond what is covered by insurance, and those without insurance are never asked to pay. In doing so, they've created America's third largest health care charity. Funded by private donors and corporate organizations St. Jude's costs over a million dollars a day to help in the fight against pediatric cancer. For more information on St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and how to help keep the fight alive, link to www.st.jude.org.

Text/photos Justin Kosman