R.A. Dickey, NY Mets Pitcher, Climbs Mt. Kilimanjaro To Fight Human Trafficking

While most professional baseball players spend their off season kicking back, New York Mets' R.A. Dickey decided to risk his safety -- and his job -- to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro during his time off to raise awareness for sex trafficking.

Although management warned Dickey that they would void his contract if he got injured, that didn't stop him from embarking upon and completing the challenge. The Mets pitcher recently returned from the escapade, which helped raise money for Bombay Teen Challenge, an organization that fights trafficking in India, CNN reports.

"The thought of my own daughters being exposed to the atrocities that happen in Mumbai, in the brothels, and through sex slavery over there just was heartbreaking," Dickey told CNN, "and so I felt almost criminal not trying to use any platform that I had to raise awareness for a cause that is incredibly worthy."

Comments

[WaltZink]

08:28 PM on 02/23/2012

this story made me want to use my trip to nepal in october as a fundraiser :) for me, it's for world wildlife fund! trekforacause (on blogspot!)

[jhNY]

03:27 PM on 01/26/2012

And just how much sex-trafficking is going on atop that mountain?

[JacksonHts]

12:52 PM on 01/26/2012

Kudos to R.A. for doing this even though the team told him they did not want him to.

[moonwolfph]

07:23 PM on 01/23/2012

OMG. What a GOOD MAN. I am so PROUD to be a METS fan!
Here's to an AMAZIN' 2012!
Let's Go Dickey!
Let's Go Mets!
';-)

[Fenrir Lokison]

05:09 PM on 01/23/2012

This is what true love is about. It does not matter if your a believer or nonbeliever. Putting someone above yourself and willing to risk your life for someone that you do not know just because you care. He is an inspiration and a role model. I pray he goes far in all he does.