Really Good Deeds

By Patrick Everson

You know what’s really nice? When you see a good person do really good deeds for those in need, and then that person somehow gets repaid in kind.

On Saturday morning, team roper Coleman Proctor took part in the Wrangler NFR’s annual visit to the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation. The foundation provides support and services for autistic children and their families here in Southern Nevada.

The NFR/Grant a Gift event has taken place since 2017. Bareback rider Tim O’Connell makes it a point to be involved every year – and he’s a three-time world champion, you know?

This year’s event marked the first time Proctor was involved, and he reveled in it – even after coming off a rough Friday night first go-round, in which Proctor and team roping partner Logan Medlin got a no-time.

“There’s nothing better than seeing a little kid smile. It just warms your heart and humbles you,” said Proctor, who has two daughters, with his wife Stella currently expecting No. 3.

In Saturday night’s second go-round, unfortunately, Proctor and Medlin again got a no-time. But Sunday night, the twosome raised the Thomas & Mack Center roof with a 3.7-second effort that was good for a first-place check. Each roper pocketed $30,706.

Said Proctor after the go-round win: “I woke up this morning and I told my wife, you get out here and you start struggling and start trying to fix things. I’m going to keep the faith. We’ve been working at this for the last six weeks. If I have to be the absolute perfect example of tenacity, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Indeed he did. It’s almost surely a coincidence that Proctor rendered good deeds on Saturday and was rewarded on Sunday. But it’s nice to think that one happening led to the other.