Fil-Am NFL player Camryn Bynum reconnects with roots
Published Mar 20, 2023 07:02 am
Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum has fully reconnected with his Filipino roots by establishing a home and community in the country.
After recently tying the knot with his Filipina wife Lalaine Haddad on March 2 in Boracay, Bynum has decided to live in the Philippines for half a year during his offseason to strengthen his ties with his heritage through community outreaches.
*Camryn Bynum and Lalaine Haddad get married in an intimate ceremony in Boracay.*
The 24-year-old football player came home for the first time in June last year to conduct a relief operation in BayBay, Leyte, where the typhoon struck and left communities reeling. It was actually where his maternal grandparents hailed from, and coincidentally, his wife’s side of the family as well which perfectly aligned with their plans to expand the outreach programs. Through the joint effort of his Christian church’s project New Life Community Care and the Bynum Faith Foundation, the NFL player has been able to provide multiple feeding operations to communities between Tondo, North Cemetery and flying back to Leyte right after their wedding to aid more places that need their assistance. “There’s a lot of reasons why I’m in the Philippines. First is for the wedding. Just got married last March 2nd, but also the outreach we’re doing for the New Life Community Care. Just being able to come out here and raise a lot of money in the States and bring it over here and partnered with my foundation Bynum Foundation and with our church, New Life. Basically, a lot of outreaches, doing that in Leyte where a lot of [communities] get hit by typhoons,” said Bynum.
In addition to his relief efforts, Bynum has become more involved in bringing American football to the country through flag football and even tackle football leagues. In his efforts to bridge the gap between his professional life in the US and his Filipino blood, Bynum has been introducing his sport to the children in the communities they visit while keeping himself in shape by meeting with a lot of local football players through organization Wolves Football Philippines. “I’ve met a lot of football players who are running different leagues, flag football leagues and even tackle football leagues out here. My biggest effort is to bring the game and get people to recognize American football. Like in the outreaches, we donate footballs and teach the kids how to throw and catch a football,” he added. “My biggest effort is to bring the game and get people to recognize American football. Like in the outreaches, we donate footballs and teach the kids how to throw and catch a football. Just to spark their curiosity young. Try to introduce it to them at a young age, be able to carry it through and I think eventually it’ll get more recognition for American football here, we can start funding it and getting people more resources to be able to play. That’s the main goal behind it all.”
*Bynum dons the Philippine flag in the Minnesota Vikings' match.*
Having lived in the US all his life, Bynum has been staying in the Philippines since January and will go back to the US in mid-April to start his preparation for the 2023 NFL season but will likely return in June before the full season kicks off. The Vikings finished as top seed in the NFC North division with a record of 13-4 but fell to the New York Giants in the wild card playoffs. “We had a great season last four games, had one of the best records in the league just to lose in the first round. It’s super disappointing but how much better can I get now. Have to look at it with a positive mindset and just re-evaluate yourself. We’ll come in and start our offseason training in April with the team. It’s really self accountability,” Bynum detailed.
*Camryn Bynum and Lalaine Haddad get married in an intimate ceremony in Boracay.*
The 24-year-old football player came home for the first time in June last year to conduct a relief operation in BayBay, Leyte, where the typhoon struck and left communities reeling. It was actually where his maternal grandparents hailed from, and coincidentally, his wife’s side of the family as well which perfectly aligned with their plans to expand the outreach programs. Through the joint effort of his Christian church’s project New Life Community Care and the Bynum Faith Foundation, the NFL player has been able to provide multiple feeding operations to communities between Tondo, North Cemetery and flying back to Leyte right after their wedding to aid more places that need their assistance. “There’s a lot of reasons why I’m in the Philippines. First is for the wedding. Just got married last March 2nd, but also the outreach we’re doing for the New Life Community Care. Just being able to come out here and raise a lot of money in the States and bring it over here and partnered with my foundation Bynum Foundation and with our church, New Life. Basically, a lot of outreaches, doing that in Leyte where a lot of [communities] get hit by typhoons,” said Bynum.
Bynum with the children of communities they visit to conduct a relief operation for.
In addition to his relief efforts, Bynum has become more involved in bringing American football to the country through flag football and even tackle football leagues. In his efforts to bridge the gap between his professional life in the US and his Filipino blood, Bynum has been introducing his sport to the children in the communities they visit while keeping himself in shape by meeting with a lot of local football players through organization Wolves Football Philippines. “I’ve met a lot of football players who are running different leagues, flag football leagues and even tackle football leagues out here. My biggest effort is to bring the game and get people to recognize American football. Like in the outreaches, we donate footballs and teach the kids how to throw and catch a football,” he added. “My biggest effort is to bring the game and get people to recognize American football. Like in the outreaches, we donate footballs and teach the kids how to throw and catch a football. Just to spark their curiosity young. Try to introduce it to them at a young age, be able to carry it through and I think eventually it’ll get more recognition for American football here, we can start funding it and getting people more resources to be able to play. That’s the main goal behind it all.”
*Bynum dons the Philippine flag in the Minnesota Vikings' match.*
Having lived in the US all his life, Bynum has been staying in the Philippines since January and will go back to the US in mid-April to start his preparation for the 2023 NFL season but will likely return in June before the full season kicks off. The Vikings finished as top seed in the NFC North division with a record of 13-4 but fell to the New York Giants in the wild card playoffs. “We had a great season last four games, had one of the best records in the league just to lose in the first round. It’s super disappointing but how much better can I get now. Have to look at it with a positive mindset and just re-evaluate yourself. We’ll come in and start our offseason training in April with the team. It’s really self accountability,” Bynum detailed.