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J.J. Watt sets record with Hurricane Harvey fundraising

BySam Land|
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 3: (AFP OUT) Anna Ucheomumu high fives Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt after loading a car with relief supplies for people impacted by Hurricane Harvey on September 3, 2017, in Houston, Texas. J.J. Watt's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund has raised more than $18 million to date to help those affected by the storm. (Photo by Brett Coomer - Pool/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 3: (AFP OUT) Anna Ucheomumu high fives Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt after loading a car with relief supplies for people impacted by Hurricane Harvey on September 3, 2017, in Houston, Texas. J.J. Watt's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund has raised more than $18 million to date to help those affected by the storm. (Photo by Brett Coomer - Pool/Getty Images)

J.J. Watt and his foundation raised a world-record $41.6 million in Hurricane Harvey relief funds.

J.J. Watt continues to make us proud.

By now, there is no question that Watt is one of the greatest humanitarians in the sports world today. Ever since he entered the NFL, he has made it his mission to not only terrorize opposing quarterbacks but to use his platform as one of the league’s biggest stars to give back to those less fortunate.

Watt has been an All-American, Pro-Bowler, and NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. However, it is his latest accomplishment that is his most impressive to date.

On Monday, Watt announced the fundraising totals that his Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund achieved, and the results were staggering.

About a year ago, Watt started his Hurricane Harvey fundraiser with the goal of raising $200,000. Instead, he raised a jaw-dropping $41.6 million, making it the largest crowdsourced fundraiser in world history.

All of that money was distributed to eight organizations – All Hands and Hearts, Americares, Boys & Girls Clubs, Baker Ripley, Feeding America, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, and SBP – that used it to repair homes and childcare centers and to provide meals, medicine, and mental health services to those impacted by the hurricane’s devastation.

Watt does not plan on slowing his efforts anytime soon, as he also laid out his plan for the next year of relief efforts in his announcement. Some of the tasks he will focus on in addition to the continued rebuilding of homes and provision of health services include providing resiliency for future storms and rebuilding Boys & Girls Clubs.

What Watt has accomplished with this fundraiser is nothing short of incredible, and it is difficult to fully comprehend the magnitude of the impact he has made in the lives of tens of thousands of people.

As a longtime Wisconsin fan who has followed him from the beginning of his rise, it has been a privilege to watch the growth of J.J. Watt on the field, but more importantly, in his community. He exemplifies everything that Wisconsin Football is all about.

I am beyond proud to call him a fellow Badger.