SOMERS POINT—The Wyatt Strong Foundation held a softball game last month to honor Wyatt Hopkins memory, raise funds for local first responders, and to share a beautiful day with family and friends. To recognize the first responders on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 the second annual Wyatt Strong Foundation chose to raise funds for the Somers Point Fire Department.
Rob and Desiree Hopkins lost their son Wyatt in November 2017 to myocarditis, an infection around his heart and in his memory the couple created the Wyatt Strong Foundation, a 501(c3) non-profit. A little boy with a huge smile, Wyatt and his family spent their days in Somers Point like most families; just enjoying days at Kennedy Park and watching baseball games at Fehrle Field, going to the New York Avenue School and being a family.
“Like most kids, Wyatt loved fire trucks, got to enjoy the Somers Point fire prevention week activities at school, tour fire stations 1 and 2 and had several visits from Santa via the SPFD in his 5 short years,” said Wes Hopkins. Similar to last year’s softball game, they sold player and non-player tickets to the game. Tickets included a 2021 uniform shirt, food, and drinks, plus they sold Wyatt Strong merchandise. It took 10 innings to come up with a winner. At the end of the day, the Hopkins were able to donate $1,000 to the Somers Point Fire Department in Wyatt’s memory.
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In recent years the couple has held huge toy drives with the help of friends and area businesses and delivered toys to St. Jude’s Hospital. Covid 19 put a monkey wrench in the Wyatt Strong Foundation’s efforts to bring toys for the hospitalized children at St. Jude’s in 2020 but they are working toward a scaled down version of the toy drive for this year. Look for more information on the website www.OldSoulWyatt.org
