Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner Creates Comic Book To Support Stroke Care, Education
Oct 5, 2023, 9:13 PM
Bobby Wagner #54 of the Seattle Seahawks warms-up prior to a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on October 02, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah State Aggies and current Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner created and launched a comic book to support stroke education and care.
Bobby Wagner launches FAST54 comic book
The NFL star teamed up with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and the Phenia Mae Fund to launch his “FAST54” comic book.
🚨TODAY🚨 Come get Bobby Wagner’s FAST54 Comic Book this Blue Friday at both Pro Shop store locations! No purchase required, come while supplies last!
View the comic book and donate at https://t.co/6vNWCii6kW pic.twitter.com/587Ti8EPSv
— Seahawks Pro Shop (@SeahawksProShop) September 29, 2023
Wagner’s mother, Phenia Mae, passed away following a stroke during the linebacker’s freshman season at Utah State.
“It took time for me,” Wagner said via Seahawks.com. “It happened when I was in college, so I didn’t really talk about it much, especially my first few years in the league. But then as I started talking about it, I started having people come to me like, ‘Oh, my pops or my grandfather or my mom or my grandma had a stroke too. People asked me for advice, and I was like, maybe there’s more people out there I can help than just the people that I’m around.”
The comic book is designed to “provide education about stroke prevention in an entertaining way,” John Boyle of Seahawks.com described “FAST54.”
Bobby Wagner, who lost his mother, Phenia Mae to a stroke while he was in college, announced the launch of FAST54, a comic book that provides stroke education and awareness. More info here: https://t.co/qZc903ihxG pic.twitter.com/h68eRmRT4m
— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) September 20, 2023
F.A.S.T. is an acronym for the signs of a stroke:
- F – Face drooping
- A – Arm weakness
- S – Speech difficulties
- T – Time to call 911
“What the comic shows is that you don’t have to be a superhero to save a life,” Wagner said via Seahawks.com.
Bobby Wagner is again using his platform to make a difference. He teamed with the Seahawks and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to support stroke care and education — in the form of a comic book called FAST54. Wagner’s late mother, Phenia Mae, suffered a stroke. pic.twitter.com/Nbwec2D3Xq
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) September 20, 2023
“We are proud to partner with @Seahawks linebacker @Bwagz to launch FAST54, an education and fundraising collaboration in the fight against stroke. FAST54 wields unique storytelling in comic book form providing an engaging method to learn the signs of stroke,” Virginia Mason Franciscan Health posted on X.
“We are honored that Bobby reached out to Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to help support this important cause,” Ketul J. Patel, CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health said. “Our highly skilled Stroke Center teams provide exceptional, lifesaving care, and we are proud of their work every day. We are excited to team up with Bobby, the Seahawks and the VMFH Foundation to help raise awareness and philanthropic funds to support stroke education and care in our community.”
We are proud to partner with @Seahawks linebacker @Bwagz to launch FAST54, an education and fundraising collaboration in the fight against stroke. FAST54 wields unique storytelling in comic book form providing an engaging method to learn the signs of stroke. https://t.co/C77w3gIJPz
— Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (@VMFHealth) October 5, 2023
“Back then when it happened to my mom, I don’t think there was as much education around strokes,” Wagner continued. “And even now as I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen more people experience strokes, be it family members or celebrities, and it’s something that’s not necessarily talked about enough. It’s something that can be prevented, to an extent, if the proper steps are taken to prevent it.”
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Wagner’s “FAST54” comic book is available at VMFH.org.
About Bobby Wagner
After a college career at Utah State, the Southern California native was selected by the Seahawks during the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Wagner helped Seattle win Super Bowl XLVIII in 2013.
After spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Seahawks, Wagner joined Seattle’s NFC West rival on March 31, 2022. The six-time All-Pro player was released by the Seahawks on March 8, 2022.
In 2022, the Rams finished in third place in the NFC West with a 5-12 record. Los Angeles failed to qualify for the NFL Playoffs after winning the Super Bowl last season. Wagner recorded 140 total tackles, 81 solo tackles, six sacks, two interceptions, and five pass breakups as a member of the Rams.
Earlier in 2023, the former USU standout received his ninth career AP All-Pro honor. Wagner has been named to the All-Pro first team six times and three times to the second team during his 11-year NFL career.
Former @USUFootball LB Bobby Wagner (@Bwagz) with his first INT since 2019. đź’Ş#LocalsInTheNFL #NFL #SFVsSEA #GoHawks #AggiesAllTheWay @kslsports pic.twitter.com/DBAGKjqYLZ
— Kyle Ireland (@kyleireland) December 5, 2021
This season, Wagner has recorded 50 total tackles, 27 solo tackles, and two sacks in four games.
During his NFL career, the former USU standout had recorded 1,573 total tackles, 927 solo tackles, 31.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, 13 interceptions, 65 pass breakups, and a touchdown in 172 career regular games.
The Seahawks own a 3-1 record.
Seattle’s next game is on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, October 15 at 11 a.m. (MDT) on CBS.
Kyle Ireland is a Sports Producer and Locals in the NFL Insider for KSLSports.com. He’s also co-host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on X/Twitter (@kyleireland), Instagram (@kyleirelandksl), and Threads (@kyleirelandksl).
