http://www.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/05/26/oly.yao.quake.ap/index.html Yao Ming determined to help quake victims CONCORD, North Carolina (AP) -- Yao Ming wakes up each morning and immediately heads for the computer to get the latest news on the earthquake that devastated China. Yao Ming is intent on competing for China in the Summer Olympics in Beijing. The Houston Rockets' NBA All-Star center and China's most recognizable athlete awoke Sunday to more bad news: a powerful aftershock had killed one person and destroyed 70,000 homes. "Every day the number is going up. This morning it was over 62,000 people killed," Yao said. "We are very sad for the people we have lost in the earthquake." Yao was at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday for the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 -- one of five major stock car races in the United States, shooting hoops with stock-car drivers and getting a lesson on changing tires from a pit crew as part of a promotion with Coca-Cola. But a somber Yao was clearly focused on the devastation to his home country. "We have a long way to go to create a new place for the people who don't have a place to stay right now," Yao said. Yao, who has donated $290,000 (euro184,220) and filmed public service television announcements through the Red Cross for the relief efforts, led the crowd in a moment of silence for China's victims before the Coca-Cola 600. "The best thing you can do for the government is to send money there and people there to help them," Yao said as he sat in a motor home parked in the track's infield. "But we also need to warm them. They're hurt mentally by the earthquake. I heard some kids cannot sleep in the middle of the night because they're scared. Any kind of help -- it's more than just the money." Yao said he has one friend who lives in the central Sichuan province most affected by the magnitude 7.9 quake that hit May 12. His friend called him three days later to say he was OK. "It's really sad over there," Yao said. "His city is affected, but not major damage. But after a couple of minutes he said. 'I've got to go. The house is shaking again."' Yao was expected to be play an ambassador's role this summer as his country prepares to host the Olympics for the first time. Determined to be ready to lead his country's basketball team, Yao has been busy rehabilitating his left foot after undergoing surgery in March to repair a stress fracture. The injury caused him to miss the final two months of the NBA season. Photo See a gallery of China's top medal hopefuls ยป Yao began running last week and said he's pain-free. He hopes to begin playing in some light-contact basketball scrimmages in a couple of weeks. Yao says he remains on schedule to play in a couple of exhibition games before China's Olympic opener against the United States on August 10. "I don't want to push that too much because we need to do that in a safe way, but the Olympics are only 70-some days to go," Yao said. The earthquake tragedy has tempered China's nationwide celebration. The Olympic torch relay was halted briefly and shortened, and Yao is particularly concerned about the thousands of schools that were damaged or destroyed. advertisement "No. 1 right now is to save people's lives," Yao said. "On May 12 people forgot about the Olympics. People forgot about the torch. Let's focus the government and the people on saving as many lives as we can. "We still lost a lot. We will limit the celebration a little bit because of those we lost."
Yao makes me proud to be a fan of this team. He's by far the most caring 7'6" Chinese guy I've ever seen.
I hope in Yao's North Carolina hotel room, they are showing Total Recall on HBO or Showtime. Quaid? or Hauser?
Deke used like 50m of his own money for a hospital, yao used 290k? C'mon now yao, u have been making 10m per for the last couple of yrs. Gotta do better big fella.
If so, he shouldnt give anything. Uncle sam takes 40%, and if the communist govt takes half, that leaves 10% What about the endorsments?
i don't know how much, but I know he has to give money back to China. I remember in the early years, why is Yao neighbors with Moochie Norris? That house in Year of the Yao was just like a normal upper middle class place in the burbs. then you flip on MTV Cribs, Carmelo has an indoor basketball court.
Before anyone believes this statement, we need proof that Mutombo spent 50m of his own money on the Hospital. Leebigez you saying so is no proof , especially when everyone knows that you do not like Yao Ming !
charity money doesn't equal those out of your own pocket. and how much you give is not the only measure of how much care.
?? what does HDTVs have to do with a Superstar living next Moochie Norris (scrub)? His first place (year of the yao) looked like a normal home in sugarland instead of the Tmac palace. yeah his tv was whack too.
