Tampa Bay's Warrick Dunn helps four families get homes for the holidays

Tampa Bay's outstanding rookie running back, Warrick Dunn, is not known for lavish spending on himself, but he is known for his generosity to his family and others.

Four single mothers will celebrate a new home for the holidays thanks to Dunn's effort called "Homes For The Holidays." He made mortgage down payments for the women, and corporate sponsors furnished the three-bedroom houses.

"I've struggled all my life," he said. "I struggled in college. I've been through a lot of things. I understand what people have been through."

He's signed a six-year, $8.6 million contract with the Bucs, and can now afford anything he wants.

The talented tailback's generosity first extends to his own family which has had its share of tough times as well. He has been taking care of his five younger siblings since right before he entered Florida State in 1993 when his mother, while making a bank deposit as a security guard, was murdered. He became mother and father to his five siblings. He cooked, cleaned, did laundry and supervised homework.

A trust fund raised $291,000 for the children, and the family also was awarded $1.9 million-paid over 20 years-from the bank. Dunn bought a new house for the family and has since had it remodeled. With part of his $3.5 million signing bonus, he added a satellite dish. Soon, a new house in Tampa will serve as the family's home.

COPYRIGHT 1997 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning