Dusty Rhodes, a WWE Hall of Famer, former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and all-time legend in the professional wrestling business, passed away in 2015 at the age of 69 due to kidney failure. The Rhodes family officially launched a new foundation this year, aimed to honor “The American Dream’s” legacy by helping disadvantaged children play sports.
“Our foundation was started in loving memory of one of the greatest and most influential professional wrestlers of all time: ‘The American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. Long before he entered the squared circle, Dusty’s dreams began on the playing fields of his youth. He was a gifted athlete in many sports and his baseball & football abilities earned him a full athletic scholarship which made him the first in his family to attend college,” the foundation’s Instgram account wrote as its mission statement this week. “Throughout Dusty’s storied career, he reached through the television and entertained millions, but a lesser-known passion was his role with youth athletics. Dusty gave this time, talent, and treasure to helping children play sports. He was a coach and mentor to many young athletes, some of whom went on to attend college on athletic scholarships themselves.
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“Dusty was an inspiration to all those who knew him. For his dreams to live on, we must inspire and support the next generation of athletes. Many children today do not have the opportunity to play sports because of the yearly rising costs associated with organized leagues & travel ball. Additionally, many underserved communities simply don’t have the ability to offer sports programs for children,” it continued. “By supporting the Dusty Rhodes Foundation, you can help carry out Dusty’s legacy and dreams by helping children play sports who couldn’t otherwise. Together we can inspire and support youth athletics in disadvantaged and underserved communities and make a big difference in the lives of these amazing children. Michelle & The Rhodes Family.”
Cody Rhodes has already teased that the Foundation will have a presence at the Starrcast V convention later this month in Nashville. You can also buy merchandise related to the organization here.
