It’s impossible to waste time if you spend it talking to Archie Manning. Not only is he my all-time favorite Saints quarterback, but we also share a passion for supporting institutions that care for sick children, especially those right here in New Orleans.
Recently, Children’s Hospital New Orleans announced that they are changing their name to Manning Family Children’s to honor the donations and ongoing support from the Manning family.
I had the honor of speaking with Archie on my show Thursday and he explained that, at this point, child healthcare is something that basically lives and breathes in the Manning family's DNA.
Manning explained, “We have a longtime association with healthcare. I think it was 17 years ago, right after Indianapolis won their Super Bowl, we dedicated the Peyton Manning Children's Hospital…Eli followed that note, and he wanted to do something in Mississippi… I think it was in 2017 that we dedicated the Eli Manning Children's Clinic in Jackson… Then Eli and Abby went on to chair a $10 million campaign for Children's Hospital at the Ole’ Miss Med Center…Olivia and I established the Manning Family Fund, also part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center to improve healthcare throughout our home state of Mississippi.”
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Frankly, I couldn’t imagine a better partner for Children’s Hospital New Orleans. Not only did Archie Manning spend the bulk of his career here with the Saints, but his sons Eli and Peyton played quarterback down the street at Isidore Newman. They know and care about this town and its people with a deep passion, and that’s self-evident through their charitable endeavors.
CEO of Children's Hospital Lou Fragoso joined the interview and he agreed wholeheartedly: If you’re trying to tackle pediatric health issues, the Mannings are there to help.
“Every great city has a great children's hospital, and New Orleans has that,” Fragoso said. “As we talked about our next chapter and changing the health of a generation, we asked how these two great Louisiana legacies—Children's Hospital and the Manning family— should come together to help kids.”
Fragoso explained the Manning family’s incredible devotion to helping the hospital spread its mission—not just here in New Orleans, but throughout the entire state. “Archie and Olivia really gravitated to the work that we do out in the community and across 180 schools and over 100,000 kids. We started one of the largest, most comprehensive behavioral health programs in the country.”
The life-changing capabilities of Children’s Hospital (Manning Family Children’s) are perhaps best displayed by its ability to treat sickle cell. Fragoso stated, “Now we’re one of five children's hospitals in a country that has access to a cure for sickle cell disease. As you know, we take care of the most kids with sickle cell in our hospital, and we've been the one and only freestanding comprehensive Children's Hospital in the great state of Louisiana for 70 years… Who better to partner with than the Mannings, Archie, Olivia, Cooper, Peyton, Eli, and the whole family, just to help get the word out on the amazing work that's being done here?”
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As my talk with Manning closed, he expressed nothing but gratitude, “I've been so blessed. I have three boys who brought us so much joy. We have we have nine grandkids now…And I just thank God every day."
Archie Manning also urged listeners to take some time out of their day and visit the hospital in uptown.
“Everyone should take an afternoon or something and find a reason to visit a children's hospital because it's just good for you, " says Manning. "It's good for your mind. It's good for your heart…So once again, it's been a great week. I cannot go anywhere without a dozen people coming up to me and thanking me…It's a wonderful feeling.”