Moorman P.U.N.T Foundation continues

Buffalo, N.Y. - Punter Brian Moorman came to Buffalo in 2001 to play for the Buffalo Bills. After 12 years with the organization, the Bills released Moorman on September 25th.

During his tenure with the Bills, Moorman contributed greatly to the team and the organization with his on-field production.

However, football may have been what brought Moorman here, but it’s another type of punt that will be cemented in Western New Yorkers memories.

“P.U.N.T is perseverance, understanding, encouragement, and triumph,” Moorman explained.

Moorman created the P.U.N.T foundation in 2004. The organization’s mission is to help pediatric cancer patients and their families, both emotionally and financially. Despite, Moorman’s departure from Buffalo, the foundation remains.

"The P.U.N.T. Foundation has been here for eight years and we still want to continue it,” Moorman said.

Moorman recently hired a new program director, Gwen Mysiack, who originally met Brian after pediatric cancer struck her own family. The P.U.N.T Foundation along with Moorman provided her family with comfort. Gwen will continue to lead the organization in Moorman’s absence.

Despite the fact that the organization will continue, Moorman’s departure will still be strongly felt by many patients and their families. Moorman regularly visited patients at Roswell Park on his days off.

“There are people that look at us like we have a disease that someone can catch like we are contagious and he will get up there and give you a hug and everything and acts like you're one of them,” 21 year-old cancer patient Amanda Norman explained. “It feels really good because he doesn’t look at you like you are sick. He looks at you like you’re a normal person.”

Leukemia warrior Derek Marsh, 16, said, “He made me feel as though there was someone who cared about me. He made me feel as if I wasn’t alone in this fight.”

Through the P.U.N.T Foundation, a variety of programs are offered to cancer patients and their families, including Field of Dreams, which provides opportunities for pediatric patients and their families to create precious memories.  Lynn Pawlak’s son Andrew was diagnosed at age 13 with a rare cancer. After a 20-month battle, Andrew passed away. However before his death, Andrew wanted the chance to swim.

“Brian hooked us up with Embassy Suites, gave us a limo ride, our whole entire family down and back and gave us the penthouse suites over night,” Lynn Pawlak recalled. “Andrew couldn’t really walk. He was in a wheel chair but in the water he was free. He could swim and he could walk and three days later he passed away.”

Prior to Andrew’s swim, Moorman visited Andrew often. He effectively altered and positively affected the Pawlak’s experience during this trying period of their lives.

“I will remember the way he made our family feel at the end of Andrew’s life. He brought us a little hope and a lot of joy and some wonderful memories we can look back on,” Pawlak explained through some tears.

Moorman added, “The bottom line is if we can keep helping these families through it and keep making these families smile and make this time in their life a little bit better, we have accomplished our mission.”

Moorman is a two-time NFL All-Pro and a 12-year Bills player. All his on the field accomplishments are inked in Bills’ stat books. However, it is his off-the-field contributions that will forever live in so many families’ hearts.