WWE superstar Titus O'Neil and his Bullard Family Foundation handed out 30,000 backpacks to Tampa-area families at the 9th annual Back to School Bash at Raymond James Stadium Saturday.
O'Neil, whose real name is Thaddeus Bullard, started the event years ago. It has since grown beyond what he originally envisioned.
"It's extremely humbling, and as a person that grew up very insignificant to a lot of people, and now having the opportunity to be significant to so many and show others the beauty and how much significance they can have," Bullard said.
The event was more than a backpack giveaway. Upstairs, families had access to dental exams, eye exams, sports physicals and EKGs, making it a one-stop shop for families in need.
For Tampa mother Araya Crumbley, who has five kids, the relief was immediate.
"It means a lot because trying to get backpacks now, going into Walmart, it's like $26 to $27 and it's very — it's a lot," Crumbley said.
The savings added up quickly for her family.
"That's another two nights of meals, three nights of meals for us. So definitely appreciate it," Crumbley said.
Bullard credited volunteers like Erin Gardner as the driving force behind the event's success.
"Quickly I was taken with Thad's story and what he's doing in the community. And once I started and joined the team, I was locked in. So now I do all of the events," Gardner said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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