Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs and former Dallas Mav Josh Howard came together this week to buy gifts for kids in need. Their efforts are a dream come true for one athlete whose life was cut short.
Andre Emmett was a standout at Carter High and Texas Tech before he eventually had a brief stint in the NBA. Sadly, in 2019, Emmett was shot and killed in Dallas driveway, just months after he started a foundation hoping to help the less fortunate.
“We started the 'Dreams Really Exist Foundation' in 2019 together,” Baylor Barbee said. “Dre was really big on wanting to give back to the community.”
So, Baylor is running the nonprofit with help from many of Emmett’s friends.
“We’re trying to create a strong community, we want to be a ripple effect so that as kids become adults, we hope that they remember that somebody reached out to them in a time of need, and we hope that they do the same,” Baylor said. “Together we can make waves in our community and make a change.”
Since his passing, the Dreams Really Exist Foundation has hosted two holidays giveaways and their third will be in a few weeks.
“Just looking at the kids faces and seeing them when they get a brand new bike makes all of this worth it,” Baylor said.
But before the big event they need to buy the gifts. That’s why Howard and Diggs stepped in to help.
“Just to show them that there are people that really care about the community,” Howard said. “We (Howard and Emmett) spoke a lot about doing things together before his passing and I just wanted to keep his legacy alive.”
“We just need more people to be there for these kids or anyone who has suffered an unfortunate loss or anything,” Diggs said. “It was fun, I had a great time, and looking forward to doing this again.”
If you are interested in making a donation for the third annual Holly Jolly Giveaway, you can find more information here: dreamsreallyexist.org/hollyjolly.