Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dwayne-haskins-animal-rescue/

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was killed April 9 after being hit by a dump truck on a highway. Fans and teammates of the 24-year-old took to social media over the weekend to mourn a life lost too soon, and some have decided to honor the player in a special way.

Wolf Trap Animal Rescue in Virginia, which Haskins had supported in the past, saw more than quadruple its usual donation volume in the days following the deadly collision. This came as fans across social media encouraged each other to honor Haskins with these contributions.

USA Today reports that the rescue had received just shy of $6,500 dollars from 299 donors as of the afternoon of April 12. The donations came with kind words about Haskins, including that he was a ray of sunshine whose smile lit up a room.

In 2019 when Haskins was with the Washington Commanders, he had used the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” initiative to highlight Wolf Trap Animal Rescue. In a December game, he wore customized cleats bringing awareness to the organization.

At the time, he said, “Dogs are a man’s best friend. We just love spending time with them — they bring a whole bunch of energy — and they make my day brighter… A lot of dogs need homes, and being able to have a dog and a companion in your life will definitely bring some happiness to you.”

He encouraged fans to adopt from Wolf Trap Animal Rescue or to donate.

According to the rescue’s website, it focuses on saving high-risk animals from euthanasia, neglect, and abuse. Most of them come from Mississippi, where overpopulation issues lead to hundreds of daily euthanizations. If you’d like to honor Haskins with a donation to help these animals, click here.

Haskins, who played 16 games over two seasons in Washington before heading to Pittsburgh, leaves behind a wife, Kalabrya.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog