Star athlete Tim Tebow is no stranger to controversy and media attention. Throughout his long career as a college football player, a professional quarterback and later a baseball player, Tebow has seemed to attract headlines like a magnet. In the past he's drawn attention for wearing Christian messages on his eye blacks, praying on the field and for his personal political beliefs.
But now, a fan's account of Tebow and his interaction with a young woman have gone viral, revealing a side of the athlete's life that doesn't always get the attention it deserves.
Bystander Kevin Liddle shared the story on the Love What Matters Facebook page.
Liddle describes the "Tebow Mania" waiting for the athlete, who's now playing on a minor-league baseball team. Before the game, fans were lined up to take photos and get autographs from Tebow.
Kevin says he "would take some time to sign autographs and pose for a picture with anyone who asked him. He took more time to do this than any other athlete I have ever witnessed."
But one fan in particular caught Tebow's eye, a teenage girl holding a sign that said "Night to Shine," which holds a special meaning for Tebow.
Click the next page to find out more about Night to Shine and the fan's sign!
Tebow's own charity foundation, the Tim Tebow Foundation, keeps him very busy. The athlete is involved with lots of causes that are close to his heart, including Night To Shine. The annual event is a "prom night experience" designed to be safe and fun for teenagers with Down syndrome. Like everything else in Tebow's life, it's "centered on God's love," and meant to inspire others to do good.
Which is why Tebow turned on a dime and made a beeline for the young fan with Night to Shine written on her sign.
It turned out she had attended one of Tebow's events.
Liddle says that the girl's face seemed to "light up" as Tebow walked over. The star asked how she was doing and thanked her for coming to the game. He even looked at some photos of her from Night to Shine and told her how beautiful she looked.
"It was evident to me that these 30 seconds of interaction with her hero meant the world to her," Liddle says, it even reminded him of a quote from scripture:
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:3-4
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