SE: Risner Taking Advantage of Platform to Help Others

By Corbin McGuire

Dalton Risner is rarely unprepared for anything. It's part of what's allowed the fifth-year senior to earn a starting spot the last three seasons and be voted a team captain the past two.

But his second trip to Camp Hope, a summer camp near Claflin for youth who have or have had cancer, was one of those moments.

"The first year I went and gave autographs for 100 kids. I went back the second year expecting to see them and unfortunately five of them came back," Risner, K-State's decorated right tackle, said at Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas. "I wasn't ready for that because I saw how happy those kids were.

"I felt like I was, more or less, there for myself the first year, if we're going to be honest. That second year had a huge impact on me, not seeing some of those kids. The ones that were still there remembered everything about me. I didn't remember much about them, so it really had a huge impact on me."

Risner returned to Camp Hope this summer, marking his third trip. He saw more campers from the year before and entered with a mindset to do everything in his power to boost their spirits while he was there.

"It was an awesome experience. I really just took the whole day to say, 'Hey, I'm going to do anything I can to put a smile and a laugh on these kids' faces,'" he said. "It's remarkable because they think I'm there to impact them but they're impacting me more because they're the ones there smiling, and they look like they have the best life in the entire world, and here I am, a Division I football player with a pretty good life ahead of me and a good future and I'm not as happy as them. They impact me, and they push me so much."

Now, Risner's driven to positively impact as many people as possible.

One new avenue he's explored in this mission is a video blog he started as part of his foundation, RiseUp. These videos detail Risner's story, his roots, his faith, his passions, his biggest influences in life, among other topics meant to inspire others. They can be found on www.amateurauthorco.com/dalton-risner.

"It's an awesome way to touch people back home as well as Manhattan and share my story, share my motivations, share the things that help keep me going and introduce them to people that mean a lot to me," he said. "It's been a really cool deal."

Risner's ultimate dream for RiseUp is that it someday becomes big enough to host camps for those with special needs, cancer, are victims of bullying or simply "have a small-town dream just like me."

"Right now it's pretty small," Risner said, "but it's been going really well."

In the last year, Risner said he realized how large of a platform he has as a notable Wildcat. A two-time All-American and potential three-year captain — a feat achieved by only four other Wildcats: B.J. Finney, Collin Klein, Mark Simoneau and Brooks Barta — he decided to take full advantage of it in an outwardly positive way.

"I've always given back, but this past year I took a few large leaps, as far as giving back and interacting with those around me, and it really had a huge impact on me," Risner said. "I know why I'm here now."

Already one of the most active Wildcats in terms of community service, Risner has increasingly taken on more. Collectively, his involvements helped earn him the Big 12's 2017-18 Male Sportsperson of the Year award and a nomination for the AFCA Good Works Team for the second-straight year.

Risner frequently visits Buttonwood Special Needs Home, where he's bonded with one member in particular, Mike. He's also become close with a boy named Kaden, who's battling leukemia, through Big Brothers Big Sisters. He's given speeches at multiple schools in Manhattan and his hometown of Wiggins, Colorado. He's taken time to sign autographs and write personalized notes to people, both to strangers and friends, young and old, who are going through hard times.

He took part in a rodeo-themed Special Olympics event back near his hometown this summer, called, "Ropin' Rascals." He's also bought the K-State trombone section from the marching band dinner as a small way to thank them for their hard work.

That's just an overview of his volunteer efforts. And they don't even include the community service he's been part of through the football team, which begs the question: Does Risner ever feel like he's taking on too much?

"I definitely run myself thin. I'm busy with community service on top of school and football. I run myself extremely thin, but that's what I love to do," he said. "I'm not going to be able to do this my whole life, so I might as well take advantage."

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SE: Risner Taking Advantage of Platform to Help Others

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Dalton Risner

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