Shedeur Sanders hosts event supporting residents after apartment explosion

Yahoo

17-07-2025

CLEVELAND (WJW) – Dozens of families were displaced from the Rainbow Terrace Apartments after an explosion on June 23 that caused one of the buildings to suffer major damage from the flames.
Last Thursday, Cordale Sheffield, a heroic stepfather who was hospitalized after suffering burns to 90% of his body when he ran back into a burning building to save his stepchildren, passed away.
It's a community that needed a distraction.
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On Wednesday, Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders helped provide one.
Sanders hosted an event called Garden Valley Fun Fest, which he promoted on his Instagram.
An organizer, attorney Stanley Jackson, who represents the family of Cordale Sheffield, told FOX 8 the purpose was to bring people together to converse, spend time together and have fun.
Sanders said at the event that he thought they succeeded in that mission.
'It was fun. Everything's fun. It's a good event for the city to bring happiness here,' Sanders said.
He shared that the event was bigger than football to him, and while he's days away from reporting to his first training camp with the Browns, his only focus that afternoon was to enjoy himself with the Cleveland community.
At the event where you could find food trucks, bounce houses, get a haircut and play games, Sanders did it all.
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He covered the entire event area at Rainbow Terrace apartments, going from section to section blowing bubbles with kids, playing corn hole and taking tons of photos with fans.
Jackson said it was a good return to normalcy for the people who have been living in temporary housing and searching for a return to normalcy since that Monday in June.
'Every day they're faced with remembering the tragedy they went through,' Jackson said. 'There are some other things that they are dealing with currently – being displaced and living in different places – and they need this to be something that people are coming out to support them. I think the main thing is for us to all come out and celebrate life together.'
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