Isaac feels call to help during pandemic, hands out pizzas
Juggles his rehab work with community service
MAGIC
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac continues to juggle his work to get back on the basketball court at full strength with his commitment to helping in the Central Florida community.
Isaac took a break from rehabilitation work on his injured left knee to hand out Pepsi and Papa John’s pizzas in Pine Hills Friday.
Local Papa John’s franchises, who are Magic partners, donated 200 pizzas and Pepsi to feed about 100 families at the Royal
Place Apartment Complex. Isaac, who leads Project Life Inc. and J.U.M.P. Ministries, was joined by Magic community ambassador Bo Outlaw handing out the food while wearing masks.
“It’s extremely heartbreaking and that’s what events like this are all about — firefighters have a job, the police have a job and I feel like the church has a job, too,” Isaac told reporters.
“So many churches around the country and globe have done a great job of helping people out and that’s what we’re trying to do now. Everybody is affected, so I think it shows us the perspective of how short and critical life is and it shows us how [life] can be here today and gone tomorrow. So our ability to band together, show faith and love are important, and we can’t be too afraid to step outside and help somebody else.”
It remains unclear whether Isaac will be able to play when the NBA resumes following the coronavirus shutdown, but the forward said he is making progress.
He ran on an Alter-G, which reduces weight and pressure on legs while running on a treadmill, and has done squats with increased weight recently without experiencing any knee swelling.
“Just with the arena opened again, I’ve been coming in and getting rehab pretty much every day,” Isaac said.
“I ran in the Alter-G for the first time two or three days ago, so I’m feeling good and getting there. I’m just taking it one day at a time.”