APOPKA, Fla. – Orlando Magic legends Bo Outlaw and Nick Anderson played the role as coach on Wednesday for an Apopka first responders charity basketball game.
Outlaw coached the Apopka Police Department team, while Anderson helped out the Apopka Fire Department team. It was a night to honor the first responders and raise money for the James Bess Foundation, a nonprofit created to fulfill wishes for adults fighting terminal illnesses.
“My brother is a firefighter with the (Apopka Fire Department),” Mindy Bess said, the CEO and Founder of the James Bess Foundation. “He was like ‘I think it will go well.’ We brought it down here, and we got the Orlando Magic involved with Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw. They are the VIP coaches. It’s just a way to honor the first responders here in Apopka as well as raising funds for the foundation.”
Mindy Bess started the foundation in 2017 after her father, James Bess, passed away from brain cancer. His wish was to see Garth Brooks, but he never got the chance. James was also a resident of Apopka. Mindy began the foundation to help fulfill the wishes of other adults battling terminal illnesses. As of January 2023, over 27 “wishes” have come true.
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