How Former Steelers QB Charlie Batch Was Inspired To Help By The Tragic Murder Of His Sister

The Pittsburgh Steelers have built a legacy as one of the most storied franchises in the NFL. This has given many players the opportunity to develop platforms that they use to give back to their communities. After suffering a terrible tragedy, one former player wanted to make a difference and started giving back very early in his career. Now nearly a quarter of a century later, Charlie Batch's foundation is still going strong.

His nonprofit organization, called Best of the Batch Foundation, was founded in 1999. The group Batch started has grown tremendously and now provides year-round educational programming to nearly 4,000 children all over Western Pennsylvania. Batch, a Homestead native, attended Munhall High School and after being drafted by the Detroit Lions, returned to Pittsburgh in 2002.

Batch recently appeared on The Brian Hess Show to discuss his journey and time in the NFL, especially with the Steelers, as well as share about the work his foundation does in Pittsburgh. He was asked about what it was that sparked the creation of the foundation, whether was it something he saw or experienced when he returned home. 

"For me, it actually started years prior to. On February 18, 1996, I remember getting a call from my mother when I was at Eastern Michigan and she told me I needed to come home, she told me my sister was shot and killed."

He told Hess that the news is devastating enough. Here is a loved one that is brutally murdered and you can't do anything about it. The family wants answers and information, but Batch said that during those first 48 hours, it was hard to get any information from anyone. He shared the story behind his sister Danyl's death. 

"The story goes like this, she was walking down the street from her friend's house, she got caught in crossfire between rival gangs. The guy that she was with used her as a body shield. Danyl was only 17 years old, she never had an opportunity to live life. At this point, I was at a crossroads in my life because I wanted to do something about it, but ultimately I knew the decision could impact my life moving forward."

Batch shared that he decided to take the pain and use it as a positive motivator. He used that to help him become the first person in his family to graduate from college, earning a degree in criminal justice. He was breaking records as a quarterback at Eastern Michigan, so one of his other goals was to get noticed by one of those 32 teams and possibly break into the NFL. 

Steelers' Charlie Batch Is Truly A Hometown Hero

In January of 1999, while in Detroit, he decided to create some programs to help the communities there. He shared that he didn't think he would be in Pittsburgh for longer than a year, so while he redirected his foundation to Western Pennsylvania, he wasn't sure what it would look like. 

"I created a basketball league and we had 125 kids and 25 volunteers. The original goal was to tire these kids out so they'd go home and go to sleep. I didn't want anyone else to go through what we went through. The second year, we were at 300 kids and 100 volunteers, so we knew we were onto something."

Batch said that he used basketball as a way to get the kids to buy into the program, and it worked. The kids would get to play, but in return, they would have to read a book and attend a few mandatory study hall sessions. He said he knew if he went with straight academics no one would show up.   

His wife LaTasha Wilson-Batch, whose background is in mental health, has been his partner since day one. The foundation has grown so much over the years they are now impacting more than 6,000 children annually in nine counties in Western Pennsylvania. Batch said that people often think this is just some sports program or is something he needs to do to check a box, but they don't know the story behind it. He added that he hasn't always been comfortable discussing his sister's death, but feels now that it is important that people know why. 

Relationships are the key piece to Batch. He knows that without forming those with the kids, he will never have a positive impact. 

"Every kid that comes in here, they matter. We try to learn the family dynamics because everybody's different, you don't know what that child is going through. When they come in the first thing we want them to do is trust us. We're not the school district, you can come in here and talk to us - let us know how we can be a resource to you. We try to dive deep."

Those relationships he and the staff build with the kids they serve make all the difference. The goal is to not be reactive, according to Batch, instead, they are proactive. When the adults involved show the kids and their families respect, they learn to trust each other.   

Batch was a foundational piece of the Steelers offense when he was in Pittsburgh. He helped mentor and support a rookie named Ben Roethlisberger when he joined the league. That support helped the Steelers, and Batch, win two Super Bowl rings. 

Now he is still serving the city of Pittsburgh through his foundation. They do so much more than basketball now, including donating backpacks full of school supplies for students and providing teachers $350 worth of classroom supplies. During the holidays, they give gifts and holiday meals.  

While Steelers fans are incredibly loyal to former players, Batch is held to a higher standard. His positive attitude and friendly demeanor made him a fan favorite. His continued work to give back to the city, long after others would walk away also has him well respected. 

If you want to get involved with helping Batch help the communities in Western Pennsylvania, you can follow the link on the Best of the Batch homepage where you can make a donation or volunteer your time to a very worthy cause.