Ray Lewis' long football career with the Baltimore Ravens might have gotten in the way of his philanthropic goals.
Lewis was unable to take part in a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro this week because of foot swelling and a fever. Lewis was in Tanzania to raise money and awareness about the need for clean water in East Africa. He was set to do the climb with former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Tommie Harris, among others.
"Ray stood all day yesterday doing a hearing mission," trip organizer Frank Gamble said in a video, via The Baltimore Sun, summarizing the climb so far. "Last night, he had a bad night, fevered and really rough. So this morning, when he woke up, the foot was killing him, years of injuries and all of that. So we're going to miss him."
The group TackleKili, the mission organization for WorldServe International and Pros for Africa, lauded Lewis' efforts on the mission and willingness to donate his time and money to the cause.
There also was a fear that Lewis' foot injury could require surgery, something Lewis surely hoped he left behind when he decided to retire from the NFL.
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