Gobert, Mitchell Chat With Pleasant Grove Bullying Victim Before Game
Nov 18, 2019, 6:37 PM | Updated: 6:59 pm
Donovan Mitchell meets Pleasant Grove teen victim of targeted vandalism. (Photo: Ben Anderson, KSL Sports)
(Photo: Ben Anderson, KSL Sports)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Pleasant Grove teen who was the victim of targeted vandalism spent some time with Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell before the Jazz game Monday night.
Luc Holdaway, the Pleasant Grove teen, was spotted courtside chatting with Gobert before the team’s game against the Timberwolves.
“This is crazy to me. My heart is beating really fast right now,” Holdaway told KSL Sport’s Ben Anderson.
Donovan Mitchell caught up with Luc Holdaway, the teen from Pleasant Grove High School who has been victimized by bullying.
The @UtahJazz are hosting Luc, his family and friends as a VIP against the Timberwolves. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/vzKO78CvF6
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 19, 2019
Mitchell sat down with Luc after warm-ups to hang out. He signed a pair of shoes and gifted them to the teen.
“Mitchell,” was his answer when asked who his favorite player is.
❤️ @rudygobert27 meets Luc ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Xw0cAMiSUd
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 19, 2019
Holdaway chose to bring his friends to the game because according to his father, “He didn’t want it to be just about him.”
The situation started when a report about the vandalism came out and multiple local athletes, including Mitchell and Gobert, vowed to help the teen feel welcome and loved within the community.
Seth Holdaway, the teen’s father, said his family has been the victim of various acts of vandalism and fears his son was being targetted.
This Pleasant Grove teen woke up on his birthday to find his car covered in horse manure. His father says the vandalism has gone on for years and HAS to stop. Hear from him on @KSL5TV at 6pm #ksllive pic.twitter.com/PcliM1OrZm
— Ashley Kewish (@ashleykewish) November 11, 2019
After the incident, Twitter user @JimmyRex put a call out on Twitter for a group of people who wanted to get involved to make Luc feel welcome in the community.
Putting together a group to help make this kid feel welcome here in the community. Let me know if you want to help! We are going to make sure he knows he's loved here in Utah! https://t.co/Gl2mhL5bG7
— Jimmy Rex (@JimmyRex) November 13, 2019
Gobert responded simply, “We definitely will!”
Mitchell responded to Kewish’s original tweet about the incident requesting his info “ASAP!”
The campaign to make Luc feel loved in the community quickly caught fire when the Jazzmen and a few Utah Football players got involved.
On Monday night, it seems the Jazz helped Luc feel loved as he sat courtside to enjoy the game.
“It reminds me that there is more good in the world than bad,” Luc’s father Seth Holdaway said.
