Cameron Heyward's foundation donates 350 backpacks to Pittsburgh students

Charlotte Heyward’s parents were teachers. She learned the importance of an education. And she taught that same lesson to her son, Cameron Heyward, star defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I know the impact of having the right tools to learn,” Charlotte Heyward said Wednesday as she handed out backpacks to students from Urban Pathways K-5 College Charter School in Downtown Pittsburgh. “This is such a challenging time for students, and for teachers. You never know what a child is going through. People see an athlete like my son, but what they don’t see is what it took for him to get where he is.”

??? #cancersucks Help us to contribute to the fight... https://t.co/O98SLfTPwE #impact97 https://t.co/kniTCrPsci

— Charlotte Heyward (@CharHeyward) October 11, 2020

Cameron Heyward has overcome many challenges, from losing his father at a young age, living in different cities and having asthma most of his life, his mom said.

He persevered. As an adult, he created The Heyward House, also known as The Cameron Heyward Foundation, in 2015, to help needy children.

The foundation donated school supplies and the 350 backpacks for the giveaway.

Parents were invited to drive by the school on Penn Avenue with their children to pick up the backpack. They chose from a variety of colors – red, blue, black, green and some fluorescent hues. Each was filled with snacks, ear buds, hot chocolate packets, pencils, pens and paper.

Pittsburgh Steelers Cam Heyward’s mom Charlotte gives a backpack to a student at Urban Pathways Charter School Downtown from her sons foundation ⁦@CamHeyward⁩ pic.twitter.com/uvfXuxwchx

— JoAnne Harrop (@joannescoop) October 14, 2020

Charlotte Heyward, who grew up in Highland Park, greeted each child.

She said the foundation has been working on projects throughout the pandemic. When asked to do an in-person event to meet the students, she was all for it.

“There was one little girl that when I asked her how online school was going, she said, ‘I just miss my friends and I want to see my teachers again,’ ” Charlotte Heyward said. “I was tearing up behind this mask. Kids miss the human interaction. You see them jump out of the car just to see people and pick a backpack.”

The children smiled as they unzipped the backpacks to look inside.

“Our kids need role models such as Cameron Heyward to show them that anything is possible, no matter what challenges they or their families are facing right now,” said William C. Wade, CEO and superintendent of the school, in a statement. “Cam’s message that just because someone else doubts what your future can hold, never let that stop you. It’s exactly what we are teaching our students every day.”

As a child, Cameron Heyward’s severe asthma required numerous hospitalizations. It seemed impossible he would ever play a sport, let alone football. His experience taught him not to take anything for granted, and just because someone else doubts what your future can hold, you should never let that stop you, according to his mother.

Wade said that this gesture from Cameron Heyward could lead to the next doctor, scientist, lawyer, mayor, president or professional athlete. You never know how far these young people can go with the right supplies, Wade said.

This is the third year for the giveaway at the school, which was founded in 2011.

The school serves students predominantly from Pittsburgh school district, but also from Sto-Rox, Wilkinsburg, and fifteen other Pittsburgh-area school districts.

Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Aceton Johnson, 5, talks to Charlotte Heyward, bottom, as he slings his new backpack over his shoulder while with his mother, Denise Johnson, left, on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020 at Urban Pathways Charter School on Penn Avenue. Students came out to get free school backpacks as part of the backpack and school supply drive by the Cameron Heyward Foundation, the Heyward House.

Denise Johnson of East Liberty and her son Aceton Hill, who turns 5 on Thursday, were the first to arrive. They dressed in Steelers attire. Aceton chose a fluorescent green backpack.

“We really appreciate this,” Johnson said. “This is wonderful what Cam has done for these kids.”

Natasha Leonard of the Hill District brought her 5-year-old son Jeremiah Jamison, who is in kindergarten. He chose a blue backpack.

“I really like this school,” said Leonard. “They do so much for the kids and this backpack giveaway means so much to my son and all the kids.”