Bert Faibish
Ticats.ca
As a professional football player, Kyries Hebert was blessed with the means to provide for his family, but also with the ability to touch the lives of others.
“It all started with a fundraiser I wanted to do after hurricane Katrina,” said Hebert. “Once I realized the reach that I could have and the effect that I could have on my community I wanted to do more.”
And so the Ky Cares Foundation was born.
Ky Cares is an organization that works in Louisiana, Kentucky and Cincinnati, and helps reach young people through a variety of camps, a series of motivational seminars and a scholarship program.
However one month a year, Ky Cares changes its focus somewhat.
“Basically Ky Cares works for the youth 11 months out of the year and for October, solely focuses on Breast Cancer awareness and fundraising,” said Hebert.
In fact just this past Thursday, Hebert and a number of his friends and ex-teammates from the Cincinnati Bengals joined with Men Against Breast Cancer to host a fundraising dinner in Cincinnati.
“It was a huge success, more than we could have hoped for,” said Hebert.
“Luckily guys like Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and Dhani Jones came out and really showed their support,” he added.
After being released by the Bengals in early September, Hebert was presented with a number of different options.
There was no shortage of interested teams, but in the end his choice was really a very simple one.
“Other than the money and everything, I just really wanted to get back out on the field and play some football,” said Hebert.
One situation offered him both the prospect of playing time and the comfort of familiarity with coaches and players.
“As soon as I got to Hamilton I really felt at home,” said Hebert.
“I have the same coordinator, the same special teams coach, and a lot of the same players that I’ve played with when I was in the league last,” he said.
Hebert knows that he’s in a unique situation where he is lucky enough to be on a team that has a real shot at winning the Grey Cup.
“I know that coach Marshall knows how to use me effectively,” he said.
“Whatever this team needs, whether it’s come in and contribute or sit on the bench and be a cheerleader, that’s what I’ll do.”
