In the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that claimed the lives of 17 people, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade recently paid a visit to the school. "I'm inspired by all of you," Wade told the students.
Wade has been outspoken on social issues for years, but after the Parkland shooting—which took place about a 50-minute drive from Miami—the NBA veteran has taken on a more heightened activist role. In a new interview, Wade shined a light on the motivation behind his contributions.
"How can we move on—as adults, as parents—when we know our kids are not safe at school?" Wade said in an interview with Dave Briggs that aired on CNN's New Day on Monday. "I can't imagine what these families are dealing with, are going through. But what I try to do is I try to put myself in that situation and the heartache and the hurt, just even trying to imagine it, is too much to bear."
The student-led March for Our Lives, a call for action on gun violence, will take place in Washington on Saturday. Wade donated $200,000 to the cause.
In his CNN interview, Wade said he opposes the idea of equipping teachers with guns. He also addressed Fox News host Laura Ingraham's now-infamous quip that pro athletes should "shut up and dribble."
"I do more than dribble," the three-time champion said. "It's just not who I am. It's never been who I am. For me, it's bigger than basketball. It's bigger than dribbling, and I've been given an opportunity to use my voice."
Wade is very familiar with the impact of gun violence. His cousin was fatally shot and killed in Chicago in Aug. 2016.
