[RamWraith]

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

By NICK WAGONER
Staff Writer

Robert Thomas isn’t exactly the moist boisterous player on the Rams. The middle linebacker likes to keep to himself; some would say he is as shy as a child.

It comes as no surprise, then, that when Thomas is around adults, he is reserved. But put him around kids and that all changes. Thomas takes on the personality of the children around him, laughing, joking and playing as though he were not quite old enough to cross the street yet.

This side of Thomas isn’t as rare as it might sound, for he spends a good portion of his time off the field in the company of children, usually at a children’s hospital in St. Louis. He formed Thomas’ Team to organize group outings for children. The group goes to the movies, McDonald’s and various places with Thomas — and no parents are allowed.

“When there are no parents the kids can just let loose and have fun,” Thomas said. “I’m a child myself, so I like to interact with kids, play around with them.”

His dedication to kids has earned him a nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

A normal day for Thomas includes hitting offensive linemen twice his size or fullbacks built like MAC trucks. When he gets “free” time, he takes every opportunity he can to make a difference where it really counts, in the hearts of the children’s lives he touches on a daily basis.

A glance at Thomas’ schedule off the field reveals that he skips out on no opportunities to help those less fortunate than him. Thomas’charitable contributions don’t stop with scheduled commitments, though.

Thomas has been known to stop by Cardinal Glennon and St. Louis Children’s Hospital on his own volition, never asking to enter with any fanfare or press. He does it because he wants to; because he loves to see kids — who haven’t been blessed as he has — smile.

“Winning an award would be nice, but every time I get a smile from one of those kids, I feel like I won,” Thomas said.

It’s possible Thomas’ interest in kids is so devout and strong because it began when he was visiting Shriner’s Hospital as a high school student in California. He continued his work with children through high school and on in to college at UCLA.

“Helping kids has always been a part of me,” Thomas said. “It makes me appreciate how blessed I am in what I am able to do.”

Thomas is an inspiration to the children he visits and the feeling is more than mutual. Take the example of Kaycey, one of the children Thomas met on a visit. She has struggled with lung and heart transplants, but often had Thomas by her side as she battled valiantly.

"Just seeing what she went through makes you realize you can do anything,” Thomas said. “In my eyes, there’s nothing in this world that is going to be tougher than what she went through. That really inspires me when I am tired, sitting down, hurting…I think of what she did.”

Somewhere, even as you read this, there is a kid or two or 50 in St. Louis, thinking the exact same thing about Thomas.