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WATCH: J.J. Watt posts video to promote fundraising for flood victims in Texas

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

J.J. Watt has gained a reputation as one of the more kind-hearted and giving players in the NFL. And on Sunday night, due to massive flooding in Houston, Texas, the Texans star wanted to do as much as he could to help the victims.

The former Badger posted a video Sunday, asking people to donate funds to assist victims of the flooding, setting a goal of $200,000.

“I’m sitting here watching the news, seeing everything that’s going on back home with Hurricane Harvey, ” Watt said. “It’s very difficult. It’s very difficult not only because we have family and friends back there. Some guys have wives and kids back there. That’s our city. It’s very tough to watch your city get hit by such a bad storm and not be there to help, not be there to help with the recovery, not be there to help with the process.”

Watt donated $100,000 of his own money to get the donations started. But after his video went viral, it didn’t take long to reach that $200,000 goal.

The goal had been met in just two hours. So Watt upped the ante to $500,000.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey has been absolutely devastating to many folks in the Houston area. It’s nice to see what donate some of his own money and urge others to give what they could to help the cause.

If the fundraising website really crashed, Watt’s goal of $500,000 might be surpassed pretty quickly, too.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB