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Pat Rafter

Pat Rafter: Homegrown Hero
By Damien Thomas

Patrick Rafter’s accomplishments on the tennis court are not the only credentials that make him a hero in many Australian’s eyes. Pats humble roots as a Queensland country boy and the unconditional love that his family have showered upon him, have modeled him into a sincere, caring man. Even though his parents were very poor at times, his dad always found time to donate at the local church, and this has obviously rubbed off on Pat.
He has donated much time, and money, to charity work, fundraising and helping those less fortunate than him. After receiving US $900 000 for his Grand Slam win in 1997, Pat proceeded to anonymously donate a third of this to the Starlight Foundation in Brisbane. He repeated this amazing feat of generosity a year later, when he won at Flushing Meadows again.
In February 1999, Patrick Rafter founded the ‘Patrick Rafter Cherish the Children Foundation’. It was Pat’s personal desire t...

Posted by: Rebecca Wyant

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