BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The effort to support a Bills star continues months after he suffered a tragic loss.
Luke Knox passed away just before the start of the 2022 NFL season.
He is the brother of Bills tight end, Dawson Knox.
P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative is hoping to continue being a beacon of light and comfort for families in need of support, when dealing with pediatric cancer.
P.U.N.T. executive director, Gwen Mysiak said, "P.U.N.T.'s compassion program is dedicated to those suffering the loss of a child to cancer; from assisting to funeral expenses to coordinating year-round therapeutic activities to bring families together and hope and healing."
Dawson Knox has been part of the organization since 2019, and since then he's been hooked.
"Growing up in the hospital rooms, being able to bring smiles to the kids' faces. Just to even distract them for ten minutes for what they're dealing with, even meeting the parents and bringing the smile to their faces and taking some pictures. Anyone that is wearing a Bills jersey in this community is going to have a pretty awesome platform to build some love," Buffalo tight end, Dawson Knox said.
In August, he lost his younger brother, Luke, suddenly.
"We were tight our whole lives. He was such an incredible competitor in everything he did, and so was I so we were always clashing heads. Sometimes the back of our basketball games would turn into fights and my parents would have to separate us," Knox said. "We were as close as you could be as brothers, whether it was him coming to my games cheering for me coming to his sporting events and supporting him through what he was going through."
Immediately after his passing, the whole Western New York community came together for the charity Dawson has been committed to.
"To see the whole Buffalo and Western New York community rally behind us and raise over $200,000 has just been absolutely incredible. It's a testament to everyone here. There's a reason I fell in love with this community a long time ago," Knox said.
Mysiak explained, "We are here today, because in the wake of that sorrow, Bills Mafia galvanized for good to let Dawson know that he was being held in his brother's memory is being lifted. Unprecedented support for this small but mighty nonprofit actually took down our website."
Part of the proceed will be used to establish P.U.N.T.'s first ever endowment. This is critical Helping Hands program, which is a financial safety net for families.
Mysiak said, "Payments for housing, utilities and medical expenses and more are made directly by P.U.N.T., based on emergency requests from hospital social workers. As long as there is pediatric cancer, P.U.N.T. will be heavily relied upon for this dire assistance and an endowment will ensure sustainability of this program for years and years to come."
"It's just a giving attitude. It really is the City of Good Neighbors. It's just a very humbling experience to just to see how much everyone loves and cares for its people, so it really does feel like a second home or a second family to me," Knox explained.
This is yet, another testament of the ripple effect from the City of Good Neighbor's giving spirit.
