The veteran of 174 NFL games, including a Super Bowl appearance, wasn’t surprised by all the attention it received, especially after the incoming rookie in his introductory press conference talked about all the “zeroes” it would cost to buy the number. Gano had some fun with it publicly, but in private, his attention immediately turned to how he could be a good teammate and citizen.
The number swap led to a $50,000 donation from Thibodeaux to Puppies Behind Bars, which provides service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders, in addition to explosive-detection canines for law enforcement.
“When he said he was willing to give to that, I can be No. 9 and maybe in 10-15 years when he retires and I’m still kicking, I can get No. 5 back,” joked the 35-year-old Gano, who also wore No. 9 during his Pro Bowl run in Carolina. “The opportunity to give to something is exciting, and the number is obviously very special to Kayvon. While it is special to me as well, there’s a whole lot of meaning in that No. 5 to him. I just wanted to be a good teammate and also be able to support others throughout the whole process.”
Gano and his wife, Brittany, first got the idea during a Giants home game in which a service dog was presented to a soldier during a timeout. Gano comes from a rich military tradition that runs through his family. His father, Mark, served in the U.S. Navy for 30 years, and he has numerous other siblings and relatives in the military.
“So I’ve seen the sacrifices that are made in those families,” Gano said, “and also the traumatic events that happen that take a toll on some people’s lives.”
The healing in Puppies Behind Bars also happens on the other end as the dogs are trained by incarcerated individuals. The puppies enter prison at the age of 8 weeks and live with their incarcerated puppy-raisers for approximately 24 months. According to its mission statement, as the puppies “mature into well-loved, well-behaved dogs, their raisers learn what it means to…