CINCINNATI — Bengals legend Ickey Woods may not be running up the sidelines anymore, but he is using his name to get the word out about the foundation he founded in memory of his son.
Sundays look a little different for Ickey Woods.
“Yeah, they’re a little different these days,” Woods said. “Go down here and mingle with the fans a little bit, raise some money for the foundation.”
Before the game, he dedicates hours to fundraising for his son’s foundation near the tailgates.
“We’re here raising money for my son’s foundation,” he said. “Lost him 13 years ago to asthma.”
Jovante Woods passed in 2010 at the age of 16 from an asthma attack.
“We thought it was going to be the same thing, go to the hospital, he’s in there a couple of days, then he comes home,” Woods remembers. “But he didn’t come this time.”
That grief pushing Ickey to do something good out of tragedy.
“We come and we set up at every home game to raise money to fight that deadly disease called asthma that took my baby from me,” Woods said.
The Jovante Woods Foundation raises money and awareness for asthma. That is something Ickey hopes becomes synonymous with his son’s name.
“It means the world,” Woods said. “Any time we can get support because my ultimate goal is to have my son’s foundation the face of asthma, like Jimmy V is for cancer.”
Money raised through autographs and pictures. And his day doesn’t stop there as he continues into the stadium, many fans asking for pictures. He’s always trying to raise awareness, even at his own food concession stand in Paycor Stadium, with much of the proceeds going to the Jovante Woods Foundation.
“To see my son’s name and then they know it’s my stand, and I got a bunch of regulars that’s come in here and just support and that’s great. We love that,” Woods said.
It has been hard to move forward after losing a son.
“I miss him,” he said. “I miss him a lot and hopefully through the foundation we can do some things and save some lives.”
He’s reminded of the good he’s doing and knows his son is looking down with pride.