Ray Ray McElrathbey

From ClemsonWiki

September 11, 2006- The NCAA finally relents to national pressure and okays an exception to financial assistance rules in the case of Clemson defensive back Ramon "Ray Ray" McElrathbey who has custody of his 11-year-old brother Fahmarr, due to their mother’s continuing drug problems and their father’s gambling addiction. The 19-year old player lives in an off-campus apartment with his younger sibling, and will now be exempted from rules prohibiting advantages for a student athlete not available to all. A trust fund is to be established by the university to handle funds for the situation. The story was broken by Charleston News & Courier beat writer Larry Williams on August 19.

In the first two weeks that the fund was established, donations totalling $46,619 were received from all over the world. Subsequently, the Temple Owl football team donates its entire $1,500 travel monies to the game in Charlotte, North Carolina in October to the fund. On November 21, the University of Virginia football team donates $2,565 to the cause, collected from the team by their captains in less than two hours the previous evening.