By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
What began in Nashville, and grew larger in Detroit is continuing in Philadelphia.
Stephen Tulloch has been with three teams in his 11-year career and his Operation 55 has gone with him to all three cities.
Friday, December 16th he took it back to Detroit from Philadelphia.
Tulloch brought three of his current Eagles’ teammates, fellow linebacker Nigel Bradham and defensive ends Brandon Graham and Connor Barwin, Detroit natives, and rented a private plane to fly from Philadelphia to Detroit for Operation 55’s annual Christmas party.
They left after the Eagles’ final practice before their game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, and then flew back that same night.
This wasn't your typical office party. Tulloch and his Operation 55 host families in need and do what they can to make their Christmas a little more special.
“It started 10 years ago, when I was with the Tennessee Titans,’’ Tulloch, a three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year with the Lions, said. “I started adopting families around the holidays, doing things in and around the community.’’
Tulloch’s motivation was two-fold. He learned from his mother, Mercedes, a nurse and a single parent who raised Stephen and his siblings by herself in Miami.
“As I kid with my mom, we didn’t grow up with much,’’ Tulloch said “My dad wasn’t around. My mom raised us on her own. We didn’t have much, but she always emphasized to us to help those who are less fortunate. With all she had going on, she was always helping others.’’
And then there was Tulloch’s best friend in high school, John Jerrett, who lost his battle with cancer when they were both 18 years old.
“I talked to him the day before he died and told him if I ever make it I would do something in his name,’’ Tulloch said. “I knew from that moment that I wanted to pay it forward in honor of him.’’
And that’s what Operation 55 does.
“It really took off when I got to Detroit (in 2011) with Operation 55,’’ Tulloch said. “Everything we did was 55. We’d invite 55 kids to every home game. We’d adopt 55 families at Christmas. We went to 55 Detroit public schools and helped the kids there.’’
At Christmas, Operation 55 helps families going through tough times
“Families where someone was going through cancer treatments, going throw chemo and had bills piling up and couldn’t afford that let alone Christmas,’’ Tulloch said “So we would adopt those families and give those families a special Christmas.’’
Tulloch and his foundation would provide the families with Christmas presents they normally wouldn’t have had.
“We would invite them to the party,’’ Tulloch said. “Then we would surprise them with the presents we got them. We filled their lists.’’
Through the years, those same families, some doing better, would come back and share the stories and go on to help others who were now in the same straits.
“People come back all the time and speak their peace,’’ Tulloch said. “They say why donating to the cause is important and how you could help others who are less fortunate. It’s kind of a pay-it-forward, like I wanted. They come back and tell their experience and it just grows and grows.’’
This next offseason Operation 55 is growing some more, the plan is to head to his mother’s native Jamaica to build an elementary school.
“That’s our first big project to build a school in Jamaica,’’ Tulloch said. “I’ve got players from all over the league coming with me to help out.’’