AP — PITTSFORD, N.Y. Logan Bittner never imagined that the two friendship bracelets he fashioned at the age of ten would get the attention of Buffalo Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman.
Bittner included the bracelets in a letter welcoming Coleman to Buffalo in May.
Three months later, Coleman is still sporting one of the wristbands during practice (his agent owns the other one). At training camp on Tuesday, the receiver at last had the opportunity to express his gratitude to his young fan.
Shaking Logan’s hand and giving him a gift basket including tickets to Buffalo’s season opener versus Arizona on September 8, Coleman stated, “Was looking forward to seeing you.”
Logan answered, “Thank you so much, sir,” and then he had the receiver sign the child’s No. 0 Coleman jersey and pose for a picture.
Logan’s creative writing project, which started out as a way for him to hone his handwriting abilities, has resulted in recognition for the soon-to-be fifth grader for his deed of kindness.
“Welcome to Buffalo, Keon! Here are some recommendations for Buffalo’s best pizza and chocolate chip cookies,” the letter from May said. I started creating friendship bracelets to give to players as a way to promote love last summer. These stretch out, so hopefully they fit. I’m eager to see you during training camp, hopefully. Bills, go.
Fans of the Bills became more and more interested in Logan’s bracelets after pictures of Coleman wearing them during the NFL Players Association rookie photo session in Los Angeles in mid-May surfaced.
In collaboration with 26 Shirts, a Buffalo-based company, the Bittner family is offering the bracelets for $8 apiece, with $5 of every transaction going to the Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo. Logan, with assistance from his mother Krystle, estimated that he needs roughly ten minutes to complete a single bracelet that features a string of beads in the red, white, and blue colors of the Bills and spells out “Mafia,” a moniker for Bills supporters.
“The hands of the poor child are going to fall off.” But in a positive sense,” founder of 26 Shirts Del Reid remarked. He said that most of the 1,300 bracelets produced had been sold, with over $5,000 going to charitable organizations.