Columbus, OH,
16
December
2019
|
22:17 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

Spectrum News 1: Columbus Crew Player Spreads Holiday Cheer

Recovering from a surgery, especially during the holiday season, can be a bummer, but patients at OhioHealth Doctors Hospital were in for a special surprise when Columbus Crew SC defender Aboubacar Keita came to visit this month.

Keita, a Columbus native and graduate of Westerville North High School, was onsite visitng patients and staff, and he didn’t come empty-handed. Keita handed out gifts, like Crew SC hats and scarves, cookies and signed autographs during his visit, spreading holiday cheer to both patients and associates. It was a day of giving back and being humble for the professional athlete.

“Seeing someone like that going through that type of thing, at that age, is pretty humbling,” Keita told Spectrum News 1 reporter Dennis Biviano. “To know you're healthy and able to do everything on your own, especially these nurses here, taking care of someone else, is pretty nice.”

For many patients, Keita’s visit was the highlight of their day, posing for photos and shaking hands with the hometown athlete.

Keita is the twelfth homegrown player in club history, making 10 appearances for the Crew SC last year.

OhioHealth is a proud sponsor and the Official Healthcare partner of the Columbus Crew SC. The Crew SC’s regular season begins March 1 at MAPFRE stadium, with training beginning next month.

To watch the full story by Spectrum News 1, click on their station logo below.