People in Northeast Ohio took another day to celebrate the Cleveland Cavaliers championship. More than 15 thousand turned out in light rain at Akron’s Lock 3 Park for a celebration of local hero LeBron James. Ideastream’s Mark Urycki reports…
Even when LeBron James left Cleveland to play for Miami he did not forget his hometown. He kept his house in Akron and he continued to work with children in Akron Public Schools through his family foundation.
James is providing 2300 full ride scholarships for them at the University of Akron. Those kids and their families got the seats closest to the stage last night.
The students recited the 9 point promise that James often leads them in -- to do well in school, lead a healthy lifestyle, five back to the community, etc.
He walked out with the NBA trophy and told them he kept his promise.
“ I promised when I came back 2 years ago that I had one mission from a basketball standpoint. And my one mission was to bring a championship back to Ohio, back to Cleveland, and back to Akron. And look up there, it’s right there.”
The LeBron James Family Foundation often reminds the kids that, like the superstar, each of them is also “just a kid from Akron.”
James said he could not have accomplished what he did last week without the support of his hometown.
“It was 50+ years that the Cleveland drought was going on. The Cleveland drought for the last championship was 50 years ago. But guess what? It took a kid from Akron to end it. Thank you.”
LeBron James’ 2 high school coaches Dru Joyce II and Keith Dambrot and Akron school superintendent David James came to praise him but they aimed their remarks toward the children.
Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan declared the city was renaming the heart of Main Street downtown – between Market and Exchange streets - King James Way.
Mark.Urycki@ideastream.org