After losing a bet, a Watertown man raised money for local woman's cancer treatment

How do a lost football bet, a Watertown woman’s second fight against cancer and the Philadelphia Eagles all fit together?

It’s complicated, but just know that Sam Mooney of Watertown is connected.

Eagles fan Mooney lost the bet with a close friend who’s a Dallas Cowboys fan over which pair of receivers on each team would put up better statistics last season.

Originally, the loser had to eat a Big Mac every day for a month, but Mooney wanted a different sort of penalty, and the winner agreed to allow him to walk to and from his job for five days starting April 8. The 2.5-mile jaunt to Dakotaland Federal Credit Union where Mooney is branch manager took him about 43 minutes each way.

When Mooney’s wife Audrey asked if he was going to do anything special with the walk, the two discussed options but never found something appropriate. Sam then called his oldest son Kahden, a 23-year-old first-year law student at Temple University in Philadelphia.

“He said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if you could do something for Tori,’” Sam recalled. “I knew right then what I was going to do.”

Tori is Tori Simon of Watertown. Eighteen years ago, amid her battle against breast cancer, Simon was one of the founders of Codington County Cares, a group that provides various forms of aid for cancer patients.

Cancer has again stricken Simon. She has had three chemotherapy treatments for ovarian cancer, and according to her GoFundMe, surgery is scheduled for May 23.

Sam planned to donate $1 to Simon’s cause every time someone honked or waved at him during his walks. He primed the pump before starting by posting a video on his Facebook page, asking people to participate.

Monday’s walks generated only $9.

“Monday night I made another video and said, ‘Hey, we’re not getting the attraction I thought we would. I’m going to do a couple of different things.”

Tuesday morning he more than doubled Monday’s donations, and that number doubled again in the afternoon when he walked home. Drivers were also beginning to stop to hand him $10 or $20 bills.

Thursday morning he was greeted with sirens and honks from Watertown Fire Rescue vehicles and donations from firemen as he walked on 11th Street NE between the Watertown High School and Lake Area Technical College.

Donations kept coming in Friday morning, but it was his final walk home that was truly remarkable.

“People kept stopping me and after you’d have a quick conversation, they’d give me $10, $100, share a hug, show some gratitude and then go about their business,” he said.

The big donation was $1,000 by a man who didn’t give his name. It raised Friday’s total to $1,800, and a week later at a fundraiser for Simon, Sam and Audrey presented her with a check for $7,600.

“One of the most powerful and impactful things that happened to me that week was I got to hear so many stories of people who didn’t know Tori but who had been touched by Codington County Cares,” Sam said. “And they were handing me $50 or $100 or whatever because Tori had such an impact on them through Codington County Cares. They felt compelled to help.”

His final walk was covered by a Sioux Falls news station, and after the clip aired Sam sent it to another friend, Philadelphia Eagles President Don Smolenski. A week later, Sam received a letter from Smolenski and a $500 donation to Simon from the Eagles.

“The relationship with Don Smolenski has been a big part of our lives,” said Sam. “He's a very kind, genuine person who I respect immensely.”

The Mooneys’ connection to the Eagles is unique. It started when Sam called ‘Eagles Live,’ a show on the team’s website hosted by Dave Spadaro. Sam’s call was made during the 2012 National Football League draft, and a contest was underway to guess the Eagles’ next draft pick. When Sam’s call was answered he correctly guessed the fourth-round choice would be Brandon Boykin, a cornerback from Georgia.

Within a couple of days, Spadaro called Sam, got Mooney’s address and sent a jersey for Kahden and other Eagles memorabilia. Sam responded by sending a “really cheesy email” back to Spadaro, highly praising the then-suffering Eagles and saying that his South Dakota family of six would always remain loyal to the Eagles no matter their wins or losses.

His email was forwarded to Smolenski, who so liked the message that he emailed Sam. And after a few more email exchanges, Smolenski said “Let’s figure out a way to get you and Kahden out to Philadelphia for a game.”

It was the start of something big for the family, which also includes children Kamron, Jaylie and Joecie.

The family has been guests at several Eagles games and received at-cost tickets for Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis where the Eagles defeated New England. The Mooneys have received sideline passes, met Eagles players, coaches and officials and been given credits for purchases at the Eagles’ pro shop.

Sam said the initial visit with Kahden to the 2012 Eagles game helped strengthen the bonds with his son, which had been strained by Sam’s alcoholism.

“My relationship with Kahden was not great and I was still trying to build that bridge,” said Sam, who, two weeks ago, celebrated 14 years of sobriety.

“Every good thing that has happened to me has happened because I quit drinking,” he said. “I put my recovery above everything - my wedding anniversary, my wife’s birthday, my kids’ birthdays - because if I hadn’t stopped drinking I wouldn’t have any of those. I’m convinced if I hadn’t stopped I’d be dead or in prison.”

He hit the jackpot 14 years ago when he bet on himself.

— J.T. Fey is a freelance reporter for the Watertown Public Opinion.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: After losing a bet, a Watertown man raised money for local woman's cancer treatment