Seahawks’ Thomas Rawls has plan to be ‘Superman’ in hometown of Flint, Mich.
Jan 18, 2016, 4:10 PM | Updated: 4:51 pm
Thomas Rawls says he wants to be "Superman" for his beleaguered home town of Flint, Mich. (AP)
(AP)
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Running back Thomas Rawls didn’t get a chance to help the Seahawks in the playoffs, but he is planning to assist in a big way back in his beleaguered hometown of Flint, Mich.
“I can’t wait to go back home and help out with that,” Rawls said while cleaning out his locker Monday. “I may even try to dig a well and try to connect it to another city or something. I want to be Superman to my city, I love my city. I don’t want to get emotional about it but I will go home.”
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Flint is in the midst of a water crisis, as thousands of residents have been exposed to toxic, lead-based drinking water since 2014. President Barack Obama declared a federal emergency in Flint on Saturday, with $5 million in federal aid going toward the public health crisis.
Rawls was a legendary running back for Flint Northern High School and spent his senior college season at Central Michigan University, which is less than 100 miles northwest of Flint, after transferring from the University of Michigan.
The undrafted free agent burst into the Seahawks backfield while filling in for Marshawn Lynch, rushing for 830 yards and four touchdowns before a devastating leg injury derailed his season. Rawls, who said he expects to be out of his cast in the next few weeks, is pain free and plans to start rehabbing soon to be ready for next season.
While rehabbing, and searching for his super hero cape, he hopes others will keep his friends and family in mind.
“There’s a lot going on back in Flint, as far as with the water and things like that,” he said. “So I ask the world to just pray for Flint, Michigan.”
