Professional athletes, understandably, don't always jump at the chance to speak with the press. More likely, they avoid the mic if they can.
But with no media availability obligations on Thursday evening, New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas traveled to Weymouth voluntarily to take questions from a few beat writers.
"It's a good cause," Douglas said shortly after arriving to Vitamin Sea Brewing for "The Draught Party" – a cancer research benefit hosted by Boston Herald reporter Doug Kyed in honor of his late daughter, Hallie.
"I try to support people, and I know this means a lot to Doug. It was on my heart to come help and be here for them."
Patriots fans bought tickets and filled the brewery to enjoy craft beer and hear a panel of local sports media members talk about the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
They could enter raffles for prizes like Boston Red Sox tickets, an autographed David Pastrnak Boston Bruins jersey, and a Patriots football signed by head coach Mike Vrabel.
All proceeds from the event went to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting blood cancer worldwide by funding critical research.
"We're doing this for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to honor my daughter Hallie, who passed away in January of 2024," Kyed said.
"She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in April of 2023, and we just want to raise as much money as possible in her honor. We're committed to raising $100,000 for LLS, so this event and events like this go a long way towards us reaching our goal. Late in Hallie's diagnosis and when she was in the hospital, one thing that kept us going was the idea of potential cures, or new research, new treatments, new things that could help people like Hallie – and that's what LLS is able to do. They're able to get that research going and it's important to us to help fund that so other families don't have to go through what we did."
The event kicked off with a Q&A session with Douglas, hosted by Kyed, Nick "Fitzy" Stevens, and Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.
The wide receiver, entering his third season in the NFL, answered both serious and silly questions about the Patriots new coaching staff, who his most funny teammate is, and what Drake Maye smells like (lavender).
With Kyed's intent to raise $100,000 for LLS, being able to advertise an appearance from Douglas helped boost the event and fill the local brewery.
The lofty goal was intimidating at first, Kyed says, but the community and fan base has rallied around him and his wife, Jen, in their LLS "Visionaries of the Year" campaign, which ends on June 5.
"It's really incredible," Kyed said.
"We're so grateful for Pop to come out and do this. It really means so much to have the team and a player rally around us. It's cool, and I know that he doesn't necessarily have a personal connection, but it sounds like our story was what inspired him to come out here for this, so it means a ton to have the Patriots and people like Pop behind us. The community has really rallied around us which is awesome."
As Douglas answered questions from the panel, another familiar face slipped through the side door as a surprise to many.
Former Patriots center David Andrews showed up and took questions from the panel and audience for more than 30 minutes about his career, winning two Super Bowls, and the Patriots' needs for the draft.
"You asked (Pop) what Drake Maye smells like?" Andrews said. "I think he smells like money."
Andrews believes protection for the promising young quarterback should be a priority. All jokes aside, the longtime Patriots captain ended his Q&A session reminding everyone what this event was all about.
"The biggest thing is you have to see the bigger picture," Andrews said, answering a fan's question about taking hits year after year.
"An athlete gets injured and that could be the worst day of their life, but then you think about someone like Doug and what they've gone through, and I'm complaining about a shoulder? I'm going to be alright. I got an early perspective with New England – going out in the community is always talked about. I love that community, and maybe for selfish reasons, I love that going out reminded you of that. Whatever you think you're going through, you're going to be OK, right? Some Sundays felt pretty (expletive) when we lost, but when I walked in the door after a home game and my son was there, he didn't know what happened. …
"The perspective of whatever you're going through, someone probably has it a lot worse, they can pick up and go to work. I'll say that about Doug – I have so much respect because I didn't really know what was going on and found out later on. I was like, man, I'm complaining about having to answer their questions on Sunday after a loss and as much as that drove me nuts sometimes, what am I complaining about?"
Learn more about LLS and Kyed's fundraiser here.
