Andrews, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, fumbled and dropped the potential game-tying 2-point conversion late in the Ravens’ 27-25 loss in Buffalo on Sunday, January 19.
Bills fan Nick Howard started a fundraising page for Breakthrough T1D, a type-1 diabetes research organization that Andrews has supported in the past.
Howard says he was at the playoff game at Highmark Stadium, and while he was excited about the Bills advancing, he was upset with the hateful comments directed at Andrews. So, he started the fundraiser, that as of Wednesday afternoon, has raised more than $81,500.
“I just thought a typical Bills Mafia thing to do is usually start up a fundraiser for Mark Andrews, just to show that we got his back,” Howard said. “It just shows that you can get fans across the world to donate this amount of money, which I think is above $60,000 that we’ve donated so far. It’s incredible.”
What is type-1 diabetes?
According to the Mayo Clinic, type-1 diabetes, which was also known as juvenile diabetes, has no cure, and treatment is directed toward sugar management in the blood, using insulin, diet and a lifestyle to prevent complications.
With type-1 diabetes, the pancreas makes little or no insulin, a hormone the body uses to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
These are some symptoms (according to the Mayo Clinic):
- Feeling more thirsty than usual
- Urinating a lot
- Bed-wetting in children who have never wet the bed during the night
- Feeling very hungry
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling irritable or having other mood changes
- Feeling tired and weak
- Having blurry vision
“Need more people like Mark”
Breakthrough T1D calls Mark Andrews a role model for those battling type-1 diabetes, showing them that anyone can pursue their dreams.
“We really need more people like Mark,” said Ryan Lightner, from the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Breakthrough T1D. “He’s been such a great advocate for type-1 diabetes and Breakthrough T1D, on and off the field, and just bringing this to light is a huge benefit, and to see other people rally around this to support this cause is just really impactful for the entire organization.”
Advocate for type-1 diabetes
Andrews has always been an advocate for type-1 diabetes research and prevention. In 2023, WJZ spoke with the Ravens tight end at a camp he held .
“I’m not shy about my diabetes,” Andrews said. “I’m not scared to show people that I am a type-1 diabetic. I’m going to wear it on my sleeve, show people that it doesn’t matter what I have, I’m going to persevere and be great.”
On a flight just after the Ravens season last year, a woman was having a medical emergency mid-air and Andrews stepped in to help. He asked if anyone knew if her blood sugar was low, and offered a diabetic test kit. The woman was stabilized.
“We are there for him”
While addressing the media on Wednesday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he told Andrews the team has his back.
“We love him, and we are there for him. If anybody can take tough circumstance like that and handle it with class, and grace, and dignity, and mental toughness it’s most definitely Mark Andrews,” Harbaugh said.
Bills Mafia fundraising efforts
This isn’t the first time Bills Mafia has raised money for players in the NFL.
In 2021, after a concussion knocked Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson out of the divisional round game against Buffalo, fans donated to one of Jackson’s favorite charities, “Blessings in a Backpack,” which raised $360,000.
In 2024, Bills fans rallied around their own kicker, Tyler Bass, after missing a critical field goal at the end of the divisional round game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Fans raised more than $400,000 for “Ten Lives Club,” a cat shelter in Western New York.
