Yahoo Finance Carl Nassib Thanks NFL for Matching His $100K Donation to Trevor Project: You 'Are Saving Lives'
Ethan Miller/Getty Carl Nassib
Carl Nassib is thanking the NFL and fans who also donated to The Trevor Project to support suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth.
The 28-year-old Las Vegas Raiders defensive end made sports history Monday when he came out to the public as gay, making him the first active NFL player to do so. With the announcement, Nassib donated $100,000 to The Trevor Project, explaining that he feels an "immense responsibility to help in any way [he] can."
On Tuesday, the NFL announced that it would match Nassib's $100,000 donation. The league added in a statement, "The NFL is committed to year-long efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion. We proudly support the LGBTQ+ community and will continue to work alongside the Trevor Project and our other community partners to further enhance our collective work and commitment to this space."
Nassib celebrated the donation, writing on his Instagram Story, "This is incredible. Thank you to everyone who has been donating to @trevorproject. Y'all are saving lives."
Founded in 1998, The Trevor Project is a leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ people under 25.
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In the video shared Monday on social media that was taken at his home in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Nassib said, "I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest."
"I'm a pretty private person, so I hope you guys know that I'm really not doing this for attention. I just think that representation and visibility are so important," he continued. "I actually hope that one day, videos like this and the whole coming out process are just not necessary."
"But until then, you know, I'm going to do my best and do my part to cultivate a culture that's accepting, that's compassionate," he added. "... I'm really pumped for what the future holds."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement of his own following Nassib's coming out video: "The NFL family is proud of Carl for courageously sharing his truth today. Representation matters. We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season."
The Trevor Project has trained counselors to support LGBTQ youth 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the TrevorLifeline at 1-866-488-7386. To make a donation, visit their website.
