Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow opened the first “Timmy’s Playroom” Thursday at the Southside office of Dreams Come True, launching the first of 18 playrooms over the coming year.
“Ultimately, this is just a building, but what takes place in here is kids have a lot of hope. They can put a big smile on their face and it’ll be a big difference in their life, and that’s what it is all about,” said Tebow.
Dreams Come True fulfills the dreams of children battling life-threatening medical conditions and who reside or receive treatment in Northeast Florida or Southeast Georgia. It was founded in 1984 in Jacksonville.
In August, the Tim Tebow Foundation announced a partnership with the foundation’s W15H (Wish 15) program and Dreams Come True.
Dreams Come True became the official wish-granting organization to fulfill the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses whose wish is to meet Tim Tebow.
Tebow played football at Nease High School and the University of Florida.
Tebow thanked the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Circle K Furniture, Flooring America, PRI Productions, Designer Lifestyles, The Kurtis Group, Amtico, Painting by Kathy Inc. and Cowart & Associates Construction for their contributions in creating the first “Timmy’s Playroom.”
The Tim Tebow Foundation plans to open 18 playrooms over the next 12 months in hospitals around the world, with the next being built at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.
“Timmy’s Playroom is a model being built to be duplicated at hospitals all over the world. There will be Timmy’s Playrooms in Denver, Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami and then it gets fun because it’s Malawi, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic and one in the Philippines,” said Erik Dellenback, executive director of the Tim Tebow Foundation.
Tebow created the foundation in January 2010 soon after leaving the University of Florida for the NFL.
Dreams Come True has fulfilled more than 2,850 dreams in the 28 years since it was founded by the late Thomas McGehee, chairman of Mac Papers Inc., and his wife, Delia.
“I think the playroom is wonderful. I love what he did with the place,” said Blake Torres, 11, an Atlantic Beach resident who is battling leukemia and wanted to meet Tebow.
“Bringing a kid who has an illness or anything else, taking that all away by having them in here and letting them play, that’s what it’s all about. That’s what I think (Tebow) did an awesome job with,” he said.
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