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Olympian Pays a Surprise Visit to a Chicago High School
Produced by Julia McEvoy on Friday, September 05, 2008

Simeon students got a surprise visit from basketball star and Olympian Dwyane Wade. (WBEZ/Julia McEvoy)

A surprise visitor walked on stage at Chicago’s Simeon High School today, bringing a message of non-violence…and flashing a little gold.

ambi: Put your hands together…for our gold medal Olympian…Dwyane Wade.

Basketball superstar Dwyane Wade returned to the South Side of Chicago, where he was born, to make a point of telling students he grew up just like many of them, struggling with poverty and surrounded by bad choices.

WADE: But you know what I did? You know what I said? I said I’m not going to be like those guys. Like my uncles and my cousins that’s selling drugs. You know that think it’s cool to be selling drugs, or to be in gangs. I’m sorry. It don’t look cool to me.

Students snapped photos of the celebrity on their cell phones, and afterward the halls were buzzing as they filed back to class.

Last night Wade says his foundation raised $10,000 for the local-based Ceasefire, which works to prevent gang-violence.

I’m Julia McEvoy, Chicago Public Radio.

Listen to unfiltered audio of Dwyane Wade's speech.

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