RAMLA, Israel (JNS) –Former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. visited Magen David Adom’s Marcus National Blood Services Center in the central city of Ramla, where he dedicated a fleet of ambucycles to the emergency response organization on Wednesday, March 13, the fourth day of his trip to Israel.
Magen David Adom said the visit by Mayweather, who is known for his philanthropic work, left an “indelible mark” on its staff.
“We are truly grateful for Floyd Mayweather’s commitment and support at this dark time in our history,” said Catherine Reed, CEO of American Friends of Magen David Adom. “The Floyd Fleet will save thousands of lives in record time and wouldn’t have been possible without him.”
Magen David Adom has been using ambulance motorcycles since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, when the organization inherited motorcycles from the departing British Mandate authorities. The first official fleet of ambucycles was inaugurated some 20 years ago.
Earlier this year, Mayweather was honored at a Magen David Adom dinner in Miami, where he became acquainted with the organization.
Wednesday’s event in Ramla brought together MDA personnel who survived Hamas’s Oct. 7 rampage across the northwestern Negev, in which some 1,200 people, including numerous volunteers of the organization, were brutally murdered and thousands more wounded.
Mayweather’s visit “served as a beacon of hope and solidarity during challenging times, inspiring resilience and unity among those in attendance,” MDA said in a statement to the press.
On Tuesday, Mayweather toured Jerusalem. During a visit to Aish HaTorah in the Old City, he received the Jewish outreach group’s Champion for Israel Award, “a special honor reserved for those who continue to advocate against hate and antisemitism and stand up for Israel,” during a rooftop ceremony overlooking the Western Wall.
Mayweather, 47, retired with an undefeated record and won 15 major world championships, from super featherweight to light middleweight.
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Preceding provided by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS)