Tim Tebow’s career in the New York Mets‘ minor league system as a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions got off to a memorable start — but it had nothing to do with his athletic prowess.
After the former New York Jets quarterback touched the leg and prayed over a man who suffered a seizure on Tuesday at an Arizona Fall League game, the unresponsive spectator made a recovery — regaining consciousness nearly 30 seconds later, a witness told the Associated Press.
Tebow stayed with him for around 30 minutes before paramedics arrived, comforting the man and chatting about sports.
The Adidas–sponsored athlete told reporters on Wednesday at a conference following a game that his altruistic instincts stem from his family’s missionary work throughout his childhood. The 29-year-old’s Baptist parents established a ministry in 1985 in the Philippines, where he was born.
“I am lucky that in my life from an early age to see my mom and dad do that for people all over the world, whether it was orphans, sex trafficking, young girls in third world countries, to see my parents get these young boys and girls and love on them and support them and put them in orphanages after you see them go through these terrible things,” Tebow told reporters. “And it’s like, what is more important to do? Go on the bus and catch up on social media? Catch up on the game? What am I going to do in the next 24 hours or the next week or the rest of my life? When someone is in need what are you ever going to do that is more important than that?”
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The 30-year-old man, identified as Brandon Berry, told the Associated Press he was OK after being released from the hospital. “I just remember just being very disoriented,” he recalled. “Then I saw Tim.”
In September, it was announced that Tebow inked a deal to play minor league baseball for the Mets organization. Previously, he played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets.
