WIESBADEN – They came as bears with big hearts. Stefan Kuntz, coach of the German U-21 national football team, had brought his protégés Max Meyer, Thilo Kehrer (both Schalke 04), Julian Pollersbeck (1st FC Kaiserslautern) and Nadiem Amiri (TSG Hoffenheim) to visit the Erbenheim House of the Bear Heart Foundation for seriously ill children. A date away from the hustle and bustle of the international match in the Brita-Arena, a special one.

„Not a house of sadness, but of life“

This was made possible by the professional musician Uwe Vix from Nordenstadt, who in his capacity as a passionate footballer and ambassador to the German Children’s Hospice Association had organised a charity match in 2016 between the traditional Eintracht Frankfurt team and an all-star team. Former DFB staff member Walter Sitorius was also involved at the time, and it was his contacts that ultimately tipped the scales for the meeting in Erbenheim, which Lutz Hoppe from the Bärenherz board of directors agreed with the DFB delegation: „We are not a house of sadness, but of life where every minute counts“.
Kuntz and his boys, who had brought jerseys as gifts, picked up on this theme and came across as extremely likeable and authentic. The national coach, who had just become a grandfather for the second time, had Annaerna, who was only born on 3 February, safely in the crook of his arm in no time at all and had a lively conversation with Sandra and Jörg Piotrowski, parents from the Büdingen area. He found out that Anna Erna has already had heart surgery. In the general hustle and bustle in the large living area of the facility, a wonderful, moving moment of carefree togetherness was created for everyone, to which the young players contributed significantly.

„It is simply a beautiful thing when we footballers can make happy faces in this way and give something back with small gestures,“ said Max Meyer. Thoroughly aware that we are in a place of farewell. „That“, Meyer confessed remarkably openly, „you notice and it’s a bit oppressive“.

Stefan Kuntz emphasised another aspect: „During such a visit, each of us becomes aware of how well we are doing. What privileges we have.“

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR