A Leper's Part in Matt Hasselbeck's Success as a Quarterback

Some people might think that Matt Hasselbeck became a Pro Bowl quarterback and played in the Super Bowl just because of his athletic ability and that of his teammates. Others might think a mentor, like Coach Mike Homgren, might have helped lead Hasselbeck to greatness. Not many may know, however, the part a leper in Jamaica led to the success of Hasselbeck.

Matt Hasselbeck became the Seattle Seahawks all-time highest rated passer at 86.6%. He passed Dave Kreig's percentage of 82.3 and has 1,342 completions in 2,205 attempts for 15,924 yards, 96 touchdowns, and 57 interceptions. He may have had greater success, but in 2003-2004 his receivers dropped a large number of passes, including a pass to Bobby Engram in the end zone in a 2004 Wild Card game, in a 27-20 loss to the St. Louis Rams. In 2005 he was the highest rated passer in the NFC and led his team to its only Super Bowl appearance, in Super Bowl XL, losing 21-10 to Pittsburgh.

Not many know of Matt Hasselbeck's mission trip to Jamaica, ten years ago, when he was a sophomore at Boston College, or the impact a man who had lost his fingers, nose, and sight to leprosy had on him.

The Seattle Seahawk quarterback went on the trip and came back a different man. He went to Riverton City, a shanty town built on a garbage dump. He worked for several days in a home for elderly lepers. Matt Hasselbeck cleaned, scraped, and painted a bathroom in the home. Often, in the evenings, he joined the lepers after a day's work for song and worship. It was there that he met George McVee, the man disfigured by leprosy.

Hasselbeck said it was difficult to look at McVee, whose leprosy was worse than anyone else's. The quarterback said he is ashamed to admit that he did not want to sit next to McVee.

"His leprosy was so much worse than everyone else's," Hasselbeck recalled in an interview recorded on the website, www.sportsspectrm.com. "They said it wasn't contagious...I didn't know."

Matt Hasselbeck recalled McVee recited long passages from the Bible and poems he had written. He recalled McVee repeatedly saying, "Thank you, Jesus" for the good things in his life