The Glendale Star
March 3, 2022
15
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Hundley Foundation holds Lace ’Em Up walk BY LAURA LATZKO
Glendale Star Contributing Writer
NFL player Brett Hundley grew up with his older sister, Paris, who suffered from epilepsy. His experience led him to want to create his own foundation to give back to children and families in need, especially those affected by epilepsy. His organization, the Hundley Foundation, will try to bring further awareness to the cause and raise funds for children and families struggling with epilepsy through the inaugural Lace ’Em Up for Epilepsy Walk Arizona on Saturday, March 13, at Rio Vista Community Park. The walk started in Las Vegas in 2021 and is now expanding to Chandler. The foundation mainly works with communities in Arizona, Nevada and California. All of the money raised during the Chandler walk will go toward services for people with epilepsy in Arizona. During the event, participants will go
Brett Hundley, center-right, attends the first Las Vegas Lace ’Em Up for Epilepsy Walk in Las Vegas in 2021. (Photo by Edison Graff)
on a 1.5-mile walk through Rio Vista Community Park trails. It is meant to be a casual recreational walk that both draws attention to the cause and gets people outside together. The park is dog friendly, so participants are able to bring out their pets.
This year, the event has free registration, with T-shirts, swag and lunches provided. Sponsoring organization Shoppers Supply is covering registration fees this year. Those who are unable to attend or don’t feel comfortable with crowds can
game in Mexico City. It comes 17 years after the Cardinals made NFL history by playing the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL’s first regular season game held outside the United States. In 2005, the Cards earned a 31-14 win over the 49ers at Estadio Azteca in front of a then-record crowd of 103,467. “In 2005, when the Cardinals hosted the first NFL regular season game played outside the United States, we experienced first-hand the extraordinary support and incredible passion of our fans in Mexico,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said. “We know that has increased exponentially in the years since and are thrilled to return to Mexico City and Estadio Azteca in
2022.” The Cardinals’ experience in international play goes back decades. Arizona has competed in two regular season games outside the United States in the last 17 years, but the team’s role in breaking ground internationally dates back to the 1970s. The first game outside of North America was a pregame matchup between the Cardinals and the San Diego Chargers in Tokyo on Aug. 16, 1976, at Korakuen Stadium. The Cards also played the first NFL game in Europe on Aug. 6, 1983, when they faced the Minnesota Vikings in a preseason matchup at Wembley Stadium in London.
join as virtual walkers. They pay an additional fee and are mailed T-shirts and swag items. Danielle Marano, president and CEO of the Hundley Foundation, said participants will often form groups with friends, family members and co-workers and work together to fundraise. Some teams come up with creative names centered around a family member or friend who has epilepsy. Others use certain words or slogans, such as “hope for a cure” or “brave,” in their team names. “Some teams will go all out. They get dressed up. They have their team banners. They are just really proud on that day to walk and support their loved one,” Marano said. Marano said many teams have been affected by epilepsy or have a friend or family member who has the neurological disorder. For young people suffering from epilepsy, it is a chance to connect with others like them.
SEE WALK PAGE 16
Arizona Cardinals to return to Mexico City BY GLENDALE STAR STAFF
The Arizona Cardinals will play a regular season game at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in 2022. Additional details, including the date, opponent and kickoff time, will be confirmed as part of the full schedule announcement later this year. Last year’s NFL resolution that expanded the regular season to 17 games included a requirement for teams to play at least one designated game internationally on a rotating basis. The Cardinals will now play eight 2022 regular season games at State Farm Stadium, eight on the road, and one designated, neutral-site game in Mexico City. This will be the Cardinals’ second
The team also played the first NFL regular season game outside of the United States. On Oct. 2, 2005, the Cardinals earned a 17-point comefrom-behind victory over the San Francisco 49ers before a then-record crowd of 103,467 at Estadio Azteca. In 2019, the Kansas City Chiefs earned a 24-17 victory over the Chargers at Estadio Azteca on Monday Night Football, two and a half months before winning Super Bowl LIV. Estadio Azteca also hosted the Patriots-Raiders in 2017 and Texans-Raiders in 2016. The Cardinals will join the Raiders as the only teams to have played multiple regular season games at Estadio Azteca.
