Football star helps build small school in uncle's memory `I know he would be real proud,' says Erindale's Walters

DAVID GROSSMAN
SPORTS REPORTER

Erindale Secondary running back Nick Walters has raised $15,000 to build a small school in Kenya in memory of his uncle, Peter Mednis.

The 18-year-old, with an 86 per cent academic average, started as a basketball MVP before adding best player in a Region of Peel all-star rugby game to his list. He was the Mississauga school's athlete of the year and now in his second year of football, the team captain leads his undefeated senior squad in points.
But there's more about his accomplishments — and it goes beyond sport.

Walters had a close relationship with his uncle, Peter Mednis, who, as a bachelor, lived in a basement apartment at their home. Even when Mednis married and moved out, Walters often saw Mednis at his games. The uncle had become more like a big brother to Walters.

But the 6-foot-2, 210-pound running back never got a chance to share his later achievements.

That's because his 47-year old uncle lost a battle with colon cancer last February.
 
In his memory, Walters set out to establish a memorial and next June he will go to a small village in Kenya's Serengeti Plains to see it take shape. Walters has raised enough money to build a one-room school in memory of his uncle.

The process started when he got in contact with the charitable organization, Free The Children, which helps children through education in many third world nations.

Whenever he found time, Walters sent out e-mails and letters looking for donations. With $15,000 raised, he now has enough money to build the school, furnish it with desks, provide school supplies and textbooks, a hot lunch for students and a teacher’s salary for one year.

"That's the least I could do in his memory and I know he would be real proud," said Walters, still canvassing donations. "He cared about others more than himself. I saw him every day and we were very close — he was like another father."

When Walters was pulled aside by his mother one day, after his uncle had gone through a series of operations, he knew the news was not good.

"It was very hard to accept," said Walters. "You realize how precious things are in life. One day you have things, then they're gone forever."

Walters, who heads to the University of Guelph next year, said he was shocked by the donations.

"My family went away on a short vacation and when we came back, there had to be 30 envelopes waiting — many from people who had never met him," said Walters. "Large amounts, small sums — the cheques kept coming in. I don't want any recognition because I did it for my uncle and if I had $15,000, I'd donate it instantly in his memory."

A former member of Team Ontario's under-18 squad, Walters was also on two provincial championship teams. When he's not studying or playing sports, he's doing community work which, last week, included handing $150 to a food bank.

"I had trouble getting him out to play football because he was so involved with the other sports," said Erindale coach Jim Roe. "When he came out, he not only excelled beyond expectations but offered to play any position that would help the team. That's a special kind of guy."

This article is re-printed from the original, which appeared in the Toronto Star on November 1, 2006. Read more about young people taking action at www.thestar.com/globalvoices.