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Syracuse Mens Lacrosse Helps Save Family in Gambia Syracuse Mens Lacrosse Helps Save Family in Gambia

By Nicole Cox

Cox: Syracuse isn’t a football school..it’s also not the same basketball powerhouse it once was.But..it’s always been a lacrosse school.

Cox: Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse has dominated the NCAA for decades, with more National Championship titles than any other school… And this season is looking like it may end with
another.

Berkman: We are super motivated because last year our season got cut short. We were number one in the country and we were undefeated. So we were really disappointed that we couldn’t finish out what could have been. But we took that into this year and have been on a roll ever since.

Nicki: After losing their home opener, the team came back with a chip on their shoulder…crushing almost every opponent they’ve played since . including Virgina, the most recent Division
one champion. But what’s more impressive than what they do on the field, is what they do off the field.

Cox: The power of social media led to the uncanny friendship between Syracuse Lacrosse’s Mikey Berkman and sixteen year old Omar living in Gambia. Berkman quickly learned that Omar’s father
recently passed away, making him responsible for his entire family. After seeing what his own small donation did or Omar and his family, Mikey turned to his teammates for help.

Berkman: I was like wow that little bit of money went a long way. So if I could get everyone on our team to venmo me a couple bucks we could pool together a decent amount of money and send it
over to him. So I told them about it and everyone was super supportive of it and wanted to help out.

Cox: Mikey and the team were able to raise enough money not only to put food on Omar’s table, but also pay for crucial medications for his younger sister that they hadn’t been able to afford
since his father passed. The act of kindness came at the perfect time. Just a couple days before Omar’s birthday .. and it helped pay for his first ever birthday party.

Berkman: He’s never had cake or people over, so with some of the money they bought a small cake and were able to have his friends and family over.

Cox: So while to some, Mikey and his teammates are just athletes, to others like Omar, they’re a whole lot more than that. Nicki Cox N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Life couldn’t look more different for Mikey Berkman and 16-year-old Omar living in Gambia. Berkman, a member of the Men’s Lacrosse team here at SU, spends his days training and doing his school work. Omar on the other hand tries to find ways to put food on his family’s table.

This past year, Omar’s father suddenly passed away, leaving Omar to take care of his mother and younger siblings. This new responsibility led Omar to drop out of school in search of work. But thankfully, things got a little bit easier once Omar and Berkman connected through social media.

Berkman learned about Omar through his sister who quickly introduced the two. He sent Omar and his family a couple dollars and was shocked to see the impact it had.

“I was like wow that little bit of money went a long way. So if I could get everyone on our team to Venmo me a couple bucks we could pool together a decent amount of money and send it over to him,” Berkman said. “So I told them about it and everyone was super supportive of it and wanted to help out.”

The Syracuse Men’s lacrosse team was able to raise over $500 to give to the family, enough for groceries, medication, and even some things to celebrate Omar’s upcoming birthday.

“He’s never had cake or people over, so with some of the money they bought a small cake and were able to have his friends and family over,” Berkman said.

Omar sent pictures of the celebration to the team, and they saw first hand the joy they brought to one family. It was a testament to their character, and the power of helping others, even if they’re halfway across the world.

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