As someone who grew up in eastern North Carolina, Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers knows firsthand the devastation a natural disaster can cause.
And while Peppers was still young when Hurricane Hugo rolled through in 1989, he knows how damaging a storm can be.
So last weekend, even as the Panthers traveled to Atlanta to face the Falcons, Peppers kept his eye on how Hurricane Florence was impacting not only Charlotte, but also the smaller communities eastward where he grew up.
“As you guys all know, I’m a native of eastern North Carolina where the storm had an impact on that community, so I wanted to do something to help,” Peppers said Friday in his first media availability since re-signing with Carolina this offseason.