Bills RB Latavius Murray Building Community Center to Honor Late Friend
It didn't take long for new Buffalo Bills running back Latavius Murray to leave a mark on the community.
On Saturday, Murray hosted the Inaugural Jon Diaz Community Center Foundation Gala in Syracuse, N.Y. The purpose of the gala was to raise funds to build the Jon Diaz Community Center in Nedrow, N.Y., a suburb of Syracuse where Murray grew up and played his high school football.
"It's definitely kind of like a dream come true when you talk about right now just the timing of everything and what I've been doing the past year or so with my foundation, and then to be right up the road playing," Murray said on One Bills Live. "It's been a dream of mine to bring resources, opportunities, and a facility that kids and community members can go to and benefit from."
The name of the community center holds significance all its own. Jon Diaz is Murray's late best friend who tragically passed away in 2016. To be able to honor his late friend in such a way was a privilege by itself for Murray.
"Never forget that day," Murray said. "Truly changed my life, but I definitely think I found a better side of myself and the true meaning of life since that. It's motivated me in every way. Just grateful to be able to remember him in this way. Keep his name alive, keep his legacy alive because he truly deserves it. Any room he walked in, he lit up. He was a special person."
Some of Murray's teammates new and old attended the gala to support the running back. Among those in attendance were Bills receiver Gabe Davis, along with quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive tackle Garrett Bolles from the Denver Broncos, the team Murray spend most of last season with.
"Kudos to those guys, really," Murray said. "They have no ties to my hometown, Syracuse, whatsoever. But they are friends of mine, teammates of mine. It means a lot for them guys, especially in the offseason, to come back to little old Syracuse and help me make this event a special night."
According to the Jon Diaz Community Center website, it will "provide a collaborative space for economic opportunity, coordinated social services, health and wellness programming, and enrichment activities for people of all ages." The community center is still a work in progress, but the gala was a huge step forward.
You can follow Jonathan Alfano on Twitter at @JonAlfano_News
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