The kindness of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady came to light anew as he aired a message of encouragement to a teenager who missed his high school graduation after undergoing heart transplant surgery. Shaun Patterson, who suffers from a congenital heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot, failed to attend his high school graduation at Hazelwood Central High School after he underwent heart transplant. However, the school and the hospital staff arranged a special ceremony for Patterson at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St.
Louis, 10 days after his surgery to let him enjoy the feeling of finishing high school.
Aside from receiving his diploma, Patterson also received a special video message from Brady, who is known for giving inspirational messages to people in need of encouragement, whether Patriots fans or not. "I just want to let you know that you’re an amazing guy and I’m really proud of you and all the things you’ve accomplished thus far," Brady said in his video message to Patterson, an avid Patriots fans. Brady also encouraged Patterson to help the veteran quarterback to further improve his game by breaking down some of his favorite Patriots plays. “Hang tough. Take care. We’re thinking of you. We’re proud of you.
Congrats on your graduation and keep kicking butt,” Brady said.
Brady lands 81st on Forbes money list
Looking at the case of Brady, winning six Super Bowl titles doesn’t usually equate to financial success. In the latest Forbes 2019 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, the 41-year-old Brady landed in 81st place with an total earning of $27 million -- $15 million from his salary and estimated $12 million in endorsements.
When it comes to Boston athletes, Brady is just fifth on the list, trailing Celtics guard Kyrie Irving, who is in 25th place with a total earning of $43.3 million. Two Celtics players -- Gordon Hayward and Al Horford -- was at No.40 and No.49 with earnings of $34.3 million and $32 million, respectively. Red Sox left-hander David Price was at No.
50 with $31.7 million income.
Brady edged by ex-teammate Trey Flowers
Brady was even edged by former teammate Trey Flowers, who landed in 57th place with an earning of $30.2 million. Flowers’ income mostly came from the five-year deal that he signed with the Detroit Lions worth $90 million, including $56 million in guaranteed money. The deal made Flowers the third-highest paid defensive end in the NFL. However, Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports was not surprised by Brady’s low ranking in the Forbes money list, which was topped by soccer star Lionel Messi with a total earning of $127 million.
Hartwell explained that stars in other sports like soccer and basketball usually earn more than NFL players.
Second, Hartwell said Brady has never asked for lucrative deals from the Patriots and is known for giving regular hometown discounts to his team. This season, Brady’s salary is just $15 million. This doesn’t mean that Brady has money issues because he and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, have a combined net worth of $580 million, according to Business Insider. Brady has yet to sign a fresh deal with the Patriots, but it is expected to happen before training camp begins.
