A Texas hospital claims the sick children in their care were ghosted by a college football team visiting their city for a college bowl game and who were billed as ‘superheroes’ by the kids.
Providence Children’s Hospital in El Paso, Texas claimed the Duke University football team, in town to play in the Sun Bowl against Arizona State University, canceled its planned trip to hospital.
‘When a visit from some football superheroes didn’t happen as planned, our own All-Star team stepped in to make sure smiles still filled the halls,’ the hospital posted online, referring to hospital workers who stepped in to cheer up the crestfallen children.
It’s unclear when Duke has been expected to meet with the kids, however, the hospital called out the Blue Devils on New Year’s Eve, as the team took the field against the Sun Devils, which they beat 42-39.
One poignant sign shared on Instagram showed a specially-commissioned ‘welcome’ sign featuring the team’s logo that read: ‘Thank you for bringing smiles, cheer and Blue Devil spirit to our patients during this season.’
Another image showed a brave little girl smiling after the snub, while a third depicted a smiley face pancake on top of a printed message to the patients.
‘Unfortunately, we know that not all plans work out the way we draw them up. And that’s exactly what happened yesterday afternoon when the Duke football team had to cancel their visit to see you,’ a place mat under the pancakes read.
A specially-commissioned sign was created to welcome Duke University’s football team to a hospital for sick children – but they never showed up
A little girl is pictured smiling after the snub by Duke, who blamed it on a scheduling error
Duke are pictured playing the Arizona State Suns in El Paso on New Year’s Eve – the same day they snubbed a hospital full of sick children
Duke Athletics spokeswoman Sarah Fetters declined to comment when reached by the Daily Mail Thursday morning, instead directing requests for comment to the Sun Bowl Association.
Bowl spokesman Richie Davis told the Daily Mail there was a scheduling error and that the team was at a different hospital at the time they should have been at the children’s center.
‘Duke Football had every intention of visiting both the Las Palmas Medical Center and Providence Children’s Hospital,’ the Sun Bowl spokesman revealed.
‘Unfortunately, there was miscommunication during the process, and as a result, the student-athletes remained at Las Palmas Medical Center past the time allotted for both visits. We regret this miscommunication occurred.’
Meanwhile, ASU’s players visited sick children at a different West Texas hospital, the team confirmed through a Twitter post.
Photos released by the Arizona team showed players posing with pediatric patients at El Paso’s Children’s Hospital.
The hospital stops are part of the teams’ planned itinerary while visiting the sixth largest city in the Lone Star State.
El Paso is known for rolling out the red carpet for the college athletes, welcoming the teams with mariachis, local beauty queens and traditional Mexican dancers upon arrival to the border community.
Duke University declined to comment on why its football team did not visit Providence Children’s hospital while in El Paso, Texas to play at the Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve
Players from Arizona State University, who ultimately lost to Duke in the Sun Bowl, did visit with sick children at a different hospital in El Paso
‘There’s a sentiment in college football that the Sun Bowl’s hospitality is unmatched across the bowl landscape, and our welcome here backs that up,’ Duke head football coach Manny Diaz told reporters while wearing a sombrero when the team landed Dec. 26.
‘The Sun City is shining. What a beautiful day today to come off the airplane and then to see this- the music, the dancing. It’s unique. It’s something you don’t get anywhere else in the country. I think it’s what the bowl experience is all about…to introduce our guys from Duke to the city of El Paso, and our responsibility is to create a game that’s worth of the hospitality that we’ve received so far.’
Locals were not impressed with their guests’ behavior.
‘F–k duke for not showing up to the children’s hospital here in El Paso, that’s f–ked up,’ tweeted @gregdashsoul.
Players from both teams rode tanks and spent time with soldiers at Fort Bliss, as well as attending fan fiestas in downtown.
Dukes’s football Twitter account showed Coach Manny Diaz playing guitar with mariachis at a fan event and Blue Devils hitting golf balls at a driving range in El Paso.