Contact Ashley and Rhett
- After 45 minutes of waiting, we were ready to give up and leave. My brother Ashley, my father Hugh and myself were starving and the restaurant was half empty! Finally, the hostess led us to our seats. We were eating at a hibachi grill in Humble, TX a few days before Christmas, 2006. Frustrated and hungry, I settled into my seat. Moments later, the gentleman sitting to our right pointed out the reason for such a long wait. I turned to my left and saw “Big” George Foreman and his entire family filing into the restaurant.
- My family lived in Humble most of my life. My sister, Amy and George’s daughter Michi, were best friends in highschool. In fact George and my mother used to have discussions about how to handle the antics of the two girls. I turned to Ashley, who had never met Mr. Foreman and asked him if he wanted to meet the champ. He shot out of his chair and the next thing I knew we were making our way through the restaurant to interrupt the great man’s dinner.
- I introduced myself as Amy’s brother (I had met him before), then introduced Ashley. My little brother was thrilled. Growing up in Humble, TX, George Foreman is your local hero. We used to see him training on the way to school. Everybody was inspired by his come back. This was no different for Ashley.
- I told the champ that Ashley had just had surgery and was starting chemotherapy at M. D. Anderson. George said, “Hey, M. D. Anderson is my hangout. I do some charity work out there.” He continued, “You’re the real champ Ashley. You keep punching!”
- Ashley was on cloud nine for the rest of the night.
- Laying in bed that night I came up with the idea for this project. I could not get “Keep Punching”out of my head.
- During the last two years I have been dedicating money from my CD, The Kid from Kilkenny to the Ashley Grant Butler Pediatric Assistance Endowment at M. D. Anderson. I thought, “Maybe George would be interested doing a little work with me for the kids.”
- I met with him the following Wednesday and here we are.
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