Earlier this summer, Coty Sensabaugh shared what motivates him.
"Being the best I can be and leaving a legacy for my family," he said.
While every athlete wants those things to play out on the field, Sensabaugh being no different, his hope is it reaches far deeper. He wants that legacy to be about the person he is, not the football player.
And he is doing just that.
Sensabaugh and his wife Dominique were honored on Thursday night for their community service at Points of Light's 2017 Tribute Awards at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C.
Points of Light is a nonprofit inspired by former President George H. W. Bush and is the world's leading volunteer service organization. The Tribute Awards honor those who embody the vision of 'a thousand points of light' that President Bush addressed.
They created Sensabaugh Mission Moon, a nonprofit enterprise committed to fighting global poverty, and work with Soles4Souls to give shoes to those in need, as well as Food for the Hungry.
"My wife and I do some things in the community, we feel it's very important," said Sensabaugh, who was humbly shy talking about the honor. "We believe in sowing seeds in others because a lot of people sowed seeds in us when we were kids, whether it be family members or people who were outside of our family. We just believe in paying it forward."
The Sensabaughs showed their commitment to giving back immediately after they were married in 2016. Instead of a honeymoon, they went to the Dominican Republic in partnership with Soles4Souls, and with other family members and friends, to serve children and adults by giving away new shoes, with almost 600 pairs distributed to many who have nothing.
"We wanted to do a little something different and we both are extremely giving and believe in blessing others," said Sensabaugh shortly before making the trip. "Dom actually did a mission trip to the Dominican Republic when we were in college and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She had been doing some research and found Soles4Souls. We decided to partner with them and they've been great."
They have also made a similar trip to Haiti. The couple has organized collections for shoes, getting close to 17,000 pairs of gently used shoes donated for the program.
And it doesn't stop there. They also partnered with Food for the Hungry, who serves vulnerable people around the globe.
"Coty and Dominique are special individuals who clearly see the value in serving others in so many ways," said Milam Byers, Manager of Sports Partnerships with Food for the Hungry.
Also honored at the event were former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and wildlife advocates Jack and Suzi Hanna.
"Points of Light continues to lift up one of the legacies that is most important to my dad, and one that continues to have enormous ripples and impact in communities around the world," said Neil Bush, chairman of Points of Light's board of directors and son of President George H. W. Bush. "These extraordinary individuals bring leadership, innovation, and energy to bear on some of the toughest challenges we face as a nation. It is our privilege to recognize them."
