Alabama players spend Saturday with local kid facing femur amputation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama scrimmaged last Friday, giving the players the weekend off.

But rather than kick their feet up and enjoy a Saturday away from the football field, several of the Crimson Tide’s players made the hour-and-a-half trip south to Soggy Bottom Lodge.

There, they spent the day with Will Roberts, who is battling Stage 4 cancer and will soon have his femur amputated via rotationplasty. Third-year linebacker Qua Russaw set up the visit.

Russaw initially FaceTimed Roberts over spring break before learning about a “Farewell Femur” party being held at the hunting preserve in Marengo County. That gave Russaw an idea.

“I was checking on him last Friday and found out that he was going fishing, and I first asked (his father) Jason would it be OK if I brought some guys from the team to just hang out with him and go fishing,” Russaw said. “I got some guy up and went down there.”

Russaw was joined by Alabama defensive lineman Tim Keenan, LT Overton and James Smith, offensive linemen Wilkin Formby and Kadyn Proctor and running back Richard Young. They fished, played pool, participated in skeet-shooting and spent time around Roberts and his family and friends. His mother, Brittney, said the players even prayed over her son.

“These boys came in and hung out inside and asked Will could they pray over him before they left,” Brittney Battles Roberts said on Facebook. “Sometimes we lose sight watching these boys on TV and see them as more than what they are….HUGE kids. (Think) about that as you get upset in the future. To see them get so happy over reeling in a fish, or wrestling with these kids. They are so much more than an athlete with big shoes to fill. 

“They are some Bama boys that their mamas can be proud of because they have done a fine job with their raising. Thank you so much to Russaw for just making a quick call to ask about Will and then last minute gathering the Bama boys for a surprise!!!”

Russaw said it didn’t take much convincing to get his teammates to agree to join him.

“It was no doubt,” Russaw said. “We all love fishing, so we were ready to go down there and fish with them. We shot some skeet. I was trash, but LT was good. We had fun. We had a good time. He enjoyed it, too. That’s what it’s all about. He was happy. He’ll remember that forever.”

The players arrived at Soggy Bottom around noon and spent nearly the full day with Roberts and company, leaving around 9 p.m. Alabama’s players enjoyed it as much as the kids.

“It was amazing, man,” Russaw said. “My favorite part about being there is not even bringing him stuff, it’s him reacting to Wilkin’s hand. He was like, ‘Dang, bruh! He’s got some big ol’ hands!’ It was amazing. I loved that experience. It was my first time actually doing something like that, like with me being in charge. I loved that.”

Formby added, “Any chance I get to try to pour into people, especially in my community and from this area, is awesome. It’s such a blessing to be able to pray for him, and just knowing that this many people are praying for him and that God is on his side. 

“Just trying to encourage him, that made me so excited. It changed my perspective just about the influence that we can have on these kids. It was a blast, and I’m looking forward to doing more stuff like that.”

Last season, Alabama’s players spent Fridays brightening the days of children going through similar situations as Will Roberts. But Russaw didn’t think he was doing something heroic.

“I didn’t even look at it like it was giving back,” Russaw said. “That’s something I love doing. That’s how I looked at it. I just wanted to make the kid happy.”

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