Rams’ Andrew Whitworth Bought Bikes for an Entire Elementary School

Andrew Whitworth bought a bike and a helmet for every kid at an elementary school in a tough L.A. neighborhood.

Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth celebrated his 36th birthday by buying a bike (and helmet!) for every single student at a Los Angeles elementary school. 

Whitworth showed up at Grape Street Elementary in the rough L.A. neighborhood of Watts on Tuesday morning to have the kids sing him “Happy Birthday”—and then surprise them with the bikes. All told, he bought bikes and helmets for nearly 600 kids. 

.@awhitworth77 spent his birthday giving 600 bikes to Grape Street Elementary so the students decided to surprise him! Happy birthday, Big Whit! 🎉🎂 pic.twitter.com/427NoDBkxk

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 12, 2017

Rams LT Andrew Whitworth just bought a bike - 550 - for every kid at Grape Street Elementary in Watts. pic.twitter.com/UFCMfZhH7K

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) December 12, 2017

Happy birthday Andrew Whitworth of the @RamsNFL🎉 To celebrate, @awhitworth77 asked the @CityYearLA team to help him give a bike to EVERY STUDENT at Grape Street Elementary in Watts!
Thank you for including our students in your birthday celebration, Andrew! #LARams pic.twitter.com/us79i1MRFd

— CityYearLA (@CityYearLA) December 12, 2017

Whitworth didn’t partner with a bike manufacturer or a retailer to make the donation, either. He paid for every last cent himself, which he thinks is an important distinction. 

“To personally, yourself, put your money where your mouth is, I think it lets the kids know that you’re not just saying something because you’re told to be there that day and you’re wearing a Rams jersey or a Bengals jersey,” Whitworth told the Los Angeles Times’ Lindsey Thiry. “It’s actually what you believe in. You’re putting your stamp on it. To me, that’s what means the most to them, is that it’s real. And that’s what I want, is for it to be authentic and real to them.”