George Reed fundraiser exceeds initial goal

The GoFundMe page set up to help George Reed is proving as tough to slow down as the Saskatchewan Roughriders legend was during his playing days.

As of Thursday at 2:30 p.m., donations to the page were at $59,721. Eric Johnson’s goal when he started the page Dec. 6 was $50,000.

“Once we got this started and we started talking to some of the friends that were closer to George, we found out that his needs were probably more than what we even thought they were,” Johnson told Gormley guest host Murray Wood on Thursday. “The $50,000, we put that out there knowing that we could go over and they don’t shut the page down.

“We’re happy that it’s over ($)50,000 because we think he’s going to need it in his latter years here to pay for all of his needs … We’re very happy that people have reached out and donated like they have.”

Reed, 80, has been dealing with ailments that have limited his mobility. Johnson started the page in hopes of helping Reed and his wife, Angie, deal with those issues.

The Reeds’ home needs some renovations, including handrails and a tub-shower conversion, and Reed makes regular visits to a physiotherapist.

Johnson said one company already has stepped up to do some of the home renovations and another firm has agreed to provide Reed with free physiotherapy.

The donations will help with other expenses.

“Fifty thousand (dollars) really doesn’t go that far these days,” said Johnson, the owner of Smokin’ Okies BBQ. “We’re hoping that we can get (the level of donations) up so that he can live comfortably and not have to worry and not have to do without, whatever his needs are as they come.”

Johnson said the page will remain up and running and organizers will “probably just let George be the judge on when to shut it down.”

Reed played 13 CFL seasons with the Roughriders and retired as the league’s all-time leader with 16,116 rushing yards and 134 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Johnson said Reed is “the most humble, giving person that I’ve ever met, hands down,” and that applies to his work with charitable organizations as well as autograph-seekers.

As Johnson put it: “People still react to George like he just quit playing yesterday.”

Reed continues to do fundraising work in Saskatchewan, which is why Johnson believes residents of the province are paying back the former fullback through the GoFundMe page.

“A lot of people don’t realize he’s giving back as much as he can,” Johnson said. “We’re hoping that this will help him regain his mobility so that he can keep giving back — because that’s what he wants to do.”