Former Husker Latest Sports Hero Supported by the Nebraska Greats Foundation

Former Husker Latest Sports Hero Supported by the Nebraska Greats Foundation

The Nebraska Greats Foundation (501C-3) www.negreats.com is pleased to announce its latest grant award.

Former Nebraska Football walk-on Cartier Walker applied for assistance with lingering expenses related to his recent bout with prostate cancer.    These were expenses not covered by health insurance.

Says Walker “I would like to thank the Nebraska Greats Foundation for their support and kindness in my time of need.  Without this lifeline things would be very tough.  This is deeply appreciated and a great Foundation helping former players in need.”

Walker, originally from Atlantic City, NJ lettered on the 1988 Big 8 Championship team and is best remembered for a blocked punt returned for a touchdown in the Huskers win over UNLV.

Walker is the 26th former letter winner from 16 Nebraska based 4-year schools to receive assistance from the Nebraska Greats Foundation since 2014 but he is the 7th to be approved for a grant in 2020.   The NGF has granted over $340,000 to in-need former athletes since 2014.

The NGF is a public non-profit foundation aiding any former letter winning athlete from 16 Nebraska-based 4-year schools with a medical emergency and a financial challenge.  Recipients NEVER receive a direct subsidy as all proceeds are directed to service providers.   All gifts are tax deductible and can be made at www.negreats.org/giving/

Spotlight on NGF Board Member Mike McGlade

Spotlight on NGF Board Member Mike McGlade

Current associate Dean for Administration of Finance for UNMC, Mike McGlade is a former All-Conference OG for UNK from 1976-79. Those years, the ‘Lopers won four conference titles, qualified for the NAIA playoffs twice and finished each year in the national Top 10.

McGlade and wife Carol have two adult children, Jake and Maggie. Jake followed his father and played football at UNK.

As a senior administrator at Nebraska Medicine, the Covid-19 crisis has been front and center in your world. What’s it been like?

I now know what people mean when they compare a learning curve for something with drinking from a fire hose! Overall it has been an exciting challenge to assist Nebraska’s health science center lead all Nebraskan’s and others around the country and in some cases the world as we learn and deal with this pandemic.

How do you think Nebraska has fared through the Pandemic?

Overall Nebraskan’s either have been or will be directly impacted in one way or another by this Pandemic and in all those cases Nebraskan’s are stepping up and doing the right thing. I am very proud of how Nebraskans have responded.

Nebraskans should be excited about how UNMC and Nebraska Medicine has been the “go to place” for infectious diseases?

From early on late last Fall and early last Winter our infectious disease experts have been consulted by other experts around the world and have maintained a deep involvement in this Pandemic.

As leaders of the global response to Ebola a couple years ago we had a head start on dealing with an infectious disease outbreak and have kept up that leadership pace as we have responded to the Pandemic.

Talk about your football career at UNK.

I was very fortunate to play for great coaches that were more importantly also great men. They taught us football, but more importantly they taught us how to lead on and off the field as well as how to be a teammate.

What really puts a smile on my face is thinking about all the people I met while at Kearney. Some of the best friends I have today were my teammates at Kearney.

Talk about some of the great players you played with or against.

We were 33-5-2 in my years….one thing we all had in common was that we came from successful high school programs that we simply did not know how to lose.

We earned the opportunity to play in 2 national playoffs including our senior year during those 4 years. In the playoff game our senior year we faced a team from Oklahoma and that team had a running back and a defensive tackle both go on to play in the NFL. The other unique part of that Oklahoma team was that they had many transfers from the University of Oklahoma. In addition, while they were at the University of Oklahoma they were also members of the James Bond Club, which is players who had a grade point average of .007, (Ha!) We lost!

What lessons did you learn on the football field you’ve parlayed into your professional life?

Team work is fundamental to success. From the time I participated at UNK until now I have been part of many group/team efforts. When we work together we can accomplish what some say isn’t achievable.

Talk about why the NGF is an organization you want to be a part of.

In my short time with Nebraska Greats I have seen yet another example of team work by its’ board members and leadership. I love the mission which for my simple mind is to help others. Working as a team to identify those that need help and helping them will always put a smile on my face.

NGF Outcomes: Tim Wurth

NGF Outcomes: Tim Wurth

One of the NGF’s most recent recipients is former Husker I-back Tim Wurth. He started at Burke High School in Omaha in the mid 70’s before a productive career at Nebraska. He lettered on the 1977, ’78 and ’79 Husker FB teams as a quality back up to I.M. Hipp, Rick Berns and Jarvis Redwine.

Tim has been struggling with a variety of health issues including Neuropathy and Type II Diabetes which has led to serious vision issues.

Before applying for a grant from the NGF, Tim faced emergency Cataract surgery, but was unable to access the health care. Because he needed the surgery now, the application was expedited. His situation was vetted thoroughly and his grant was approved in less than one week. He is now scheduled for Cataract surgery and hopes to be back working full time soon.

Said Tim upon hearing the news, “The Nebraska Greats isn’t just a SIGHT savior, but a life saver. They came to my assistance when my sight was compromised. I was having a hard time financially and personally until I asked for help. And they came through.
If you’re an ex athlete and need help, don’t let your pride get in the way. Ask for it!”

Thanks to the generous support of our donors and sponsors, Tim Wurth’s life has changed!