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Storm Players Shower Ill Children With Gifts

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Tampa Bay Storm quarterback Brett Dietz, right, gives a shirt to patient Fernando Arana, 9, while visiting the Shriners Hospital this afternoon. Dietz, wide receiver Tyrone Timmons, head coach Tim Marcum and owner Bob Nucci took a tour of the facility and met patients and their families.

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By NEIL JOHNSON The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 25, 2008

TAMPA - Lucas Neves and his twin brother, Sergio, have been going to the Shriners hospital in Tampa for four years but Wednesday was the first time they were greeted by a professional football player.

Tampa Bay Storm wide receiver Tyrone Timmons was one of two Storm players to visit the Shriners Hospitals for Children-Tampa, handing out team caps, backpacks and other gifts.

"I didn't expect anything," Lucas said.

The 13-year-old boys have a rare genetic disorder called Frederick's Ataxia that affects speech and movement, said their mother, Irma, who drives her sons from Orlando for treatment.

This was the second visit to the Shriners hospital for Timmons, a rookie with the Arena Football League team.

"Anytime they ask me to come, I always will," he said. "It makes you appreciate the little things."

On Wednesday, he went with quarterback Brett Dietz and head coach Tim Marcum, along with team owner Bob Nucci.

Although the league's players also visit All Children's Hospital, Nucci has adopted the Shriners to benefit from the newly founded Tampa Bay Storm Foundation. Nucci became majority owner in December.

"The Shriners have always been important in my field," said Nucci, an orthopedic surgeon. "And it's very important in this community."

To benefit the Tampa hospital that specializes in pediatric orthopedics, Nucci had a Storm-themed custom motorcycle designed and built that will be the prize in a drawing with the proceeds going to the hospital.

The foundation worked with Vinnie DeMartino and Cody Connelly of V-Force Customs and formerly with the TV show "American Chopper" to create the motorcycle called Storm-1.

It is the first project launched by the team's foundation but future projects also will benefit the Shriners.

"I couldn't think of any better thing to do," Nucci said.

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