As part of the Browns’ collaboration with The Littlest Heroes and University Hospitals, ten Browns players including Judkins, G Joel Bitonio C Ethan Pocic, LB Carson Schwesinger, WR Luke Floriea, K Andre Szmyt, WR Cedric Tillman, S Grant Delpit, TE David Njoku and T Cornelius Lucas attended the event. They dressed up and joined children on the runway in costumes. Pocic dressed as a pizza slice, while Njoku posed as Batman and Delpit wore a shark onesie. Each player and child had their name announced before they strutted down the runway and struck a pose at the end, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Bitonio has participated in the event for all four years. This year, he was paired with Brynlee, who was dressed as a butterfly, pairing well with Bitonio’s caterpillar costume. As they reached the end of the runway, Bitonio and Brynlee each made a peace sign before walking back.
“The resilience and the fight these kids have is second to none,” Bitonio said. “I have kids of my own and I couldn’t imagine what some of these kids have gone through. So, to be here and to spend a little time with them and just give them a little bit of joy hopefully make a little bit of a difference. Their strength and their power is really special to us.”
The Browns’ partnership with University Hospitals and events like the Halloween Fashion Show is just one example of their dedication to serving children dealing with incredible challenges. The Browns’ commitment to raising awareness and funds for cancer research is part of a league-wide effort under the Crucial Catch campaign, which was established in 2009.
“It’s wonderful that we have so many amazing organizations here in our local community such as Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospitals and The Littlest Heroes,” Vice President of Community Relations Jenner Tekancic said. “They are connected to families who need support and we are here to help make really memorable events for kids to be a part of.”
