Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - Vision has become an important principle over the course of Von Miller's life, and the Buffalo Bills pass rusher has been doing his part to give back to those with vision needs in his community.
Through his charitable foundation "Von's Vision" along with his partnerships with Atwal Eye Care and Etnia Barcelona, several families across Western New York will be provided eye care and fashionable corrective eyewear that children need to be their best not just in the classroom, but also in life.
"Still to this day, I wear glasses and contacts whenever I get ready to play. It's just super cool to be able to level out the playing field in the classroom, and actually on the football field," said Miller during his Von's Vision event on Monday at Highmark Stadium. "I don't know what type of football player I would be out there if I didn't wear contacts if I weren't able to see. And I can only imagine what some of these kids go through in the classroom not being able to see the board, or not even knowing they have vision problems. So it's very special to me to be in a situation like this, to be able to give the gift of sight."
Von's Vision is a beacon of hope to many children and families throughout Western New York and beyond, and Atwal Eye Care is happy to partner with the life-changing nonprofit cause. For the second year in-a-row, Von's Vision and Atwal Eye Care have teamed up to provide free pairs of eyeglasses to hundreds of youth in the community, who otherwise would not have the opportunity for quality corrective eyewear.
"Last year, we were so fortunate to get Von here in the city, and then to figure out he had this established organization that was doing all these wonderful things for kids, and that was so consistent with our ethos at Atwal Eye Care to provide and give back to the community. So participating in it last year was huge, and then knowing we're growing on it every single year," said Dr. Ephraim Atwal, M.D. from Atwal Eye Care. "Our event this year was a fantastic success, and all these kids are getting their spectacles courtesy of Von's Vision, Etnia Barcelona and the staff at Atwal Eye Care for participating."
Also revealed on Monday was the Von's Vision Locker, which will be a physical locker that remains on display at Atwal Eye Care's Orchard Park location all year, dedicated to the mission of eyecare for all.
"The Von's Vision Locker is a huge step up, because not only do we have to wait for just the kids to get their glasses on days like this, but it's available 365 a year," Dr. Atwal added. "These kids who may not have the opportunity to come in on days like this, but for whatever reason it is, are able to come in throughout the year."
Back in May, the team at Von's Vision spent a day working with Atwal Eye Care to offer personalized screenings and exams to children of all ages. Miller says about 300 kids got screened and tested for glasses, and the kids and their families were able to pick up their frames on Monday.
"We know kids can be hard on frames, I'm hard on frames. So it's super cool that they will be able to get two thanks to Dr. Atwal and his facility, Etnia Barcelona and, of course, 'Bills Mafia' and Highmark Stadium for hosting us today," Miller said. "It's an incredible day, the year has passed by so fast, and it is super cool to have our second reveal day here in Buffalo."
Miller's foundation is one way he is able to give back to a community like Western New York that has given so much to him already.
"It's all about community, it's all about love, it's all about football. And to be able to give back to the kids and their families is huge for me," Miller said.
"We have a huge platform to be able to do good and give back. Life is bigger than football. I have two kids, I have two young boys myself, and life is just so much bigger than football. To be able to have an impact off the football [field] is very special for me."
Miller is entering his second season with the Bills after signing with Buffalo during the 2022 offseason. Prior to that, he had spent parts of the first 10 years of his NFL career playing with the Denver Broncos before being traded during the 2021 season to the Los Angeles Rams.
Being a grizzled veteran of the NFL, Miller knows it's important to be able to give back to the community in any way possible, no matter where you're playing.
"I always keep going to that great Spider Man quote [from] Uncle Ben, who said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' We have a huge blessing to be able to play in the National Football League, huge responsibility and a huge platform to be able to do good. And this is what I'm using it for," Miller said. "I've dealt with vision problems and glasses problems my whole entire life, so to be able to identify with a lot of these kids is super special for me."
When it comes to changing environments and new communities over the years, Miller says the cause remains the same for him.
"Everywhere you go there are kids in need of glasses, eye exams, contacts. It's everywhere," he said. "To be able to have the impact in every community that we go in is wonderful."
Dr. Atwal understands how critical partnerships with professional sports organizations and athletes can be not just for the practices or organizations they work with over the course of a year, but also for the community at large.
"We're eye care specialists, Von is obviously a fantastic football player. He doesn't have necessarily the resources to provide the eye care, but he has the means to manage it and to make it happen. We, on the other hand, have the access to the eye care, to the facilities and everything else. So you need partnerships like this to grow, for the community to benefit from it," Dr. Atwal said.
Dr. Atwal adds these partnerships and events that take place are critical for the community, because they can be inspiring for kids and their families, as well as uplifting for other members of the community.
"I think Von put it best: 'With great power [comes great responsibility]'. They have a platform, they have an ethical obligation to give back to communities that are so inspired by them," he said. "A lot of Western New Yorkers live and die by the Buffalo Bills. It's the one consistent piece of clothing you see in Western New York. When Von is up there saying he has a duty because he has the platform, he's part of the NFL, he has a gift, he has an obligation to be able to give back to the community."
While Miller knows it may not always be cool for kids to have to wear glasses or need contacts, he hopes that events like this can make glasses cool for all kids, and help them also better themselves as they grow in life.
"For these kids to be able to have some cool frames to start school off is cool," Miller said. "I remember starting school, I had a fresh new pair of glasses, and I can definitely identify with all these kids. It's a super cool that they're get them in time right before school.
"There's a lot of celebrities around the league and around the world that make glasses cool as well. I know sometimes kids can be mean, but glasses are cool, and sometimes you've just gotta go with what you need to be successful in the classroom."
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