The Ravens will hold a special moment during the first quarter of Thursday night's game against the Miami Dolphins.
Mary and Ralf Reuland, the parents of former Raven Konrad Reuland, will be recognized along with Hall of Fame baseball player Rod Carew.
Konrad Reuland, who spent the 2015 season in Baltimore, passed away last year at just 29 years old following a brain aneurysm. He was an organ donor, and his heart went to Carew to save his life. In total, Konrad saved 75 lives through the donation of his organs.
"It was important for us to invite Konrad's family and recognize them at a game because Konrad was a member of the Ravens family whose story and inspiration has impact well beyond the game," Ravens Vice President of Marketing Brad Downs said.
This will be the first trip to Baltimore for Konrad's parents, who live in Southern California. They weren't able to make it to any of Konrad's games during his final season in Baltimore, but are looking forward to this week's visit.
"We're really excited to see where Konrad played and walk the steps that he walked during his time with the Ravens," Mary said.
Reuland spent five seasons in the NFL and played for four teams. Baltimore was the last place he played in any regular-season games, and the trip will be an emotional visit for his parents.
"I haven't been able to watch much football because I just can't, I just keep wanting to see Konrad out there," Mary said. "But it's going to be really cool to be where he played last."
After visiting Baltimore, the Reulands will visit Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Jim Harbaugh has invited them to be honorary captains for the game against Rutgers. Reuland played under Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and for the 49ers.
Since Konrad passed, the Carews and Reulands have become very close. Konrad's heart is still beating inside Rod, and that saved his life.
"They're like family now," Mary said.
Reuland's family has been committed to honoring his legacy through a variety of efforts. They started a scholarship fund through Big Brothers Big Sisters and are active with the Lisa Foundation, which promotes awareness around the signs and symptoms of brain aneurysms. Carew is also highly involved with the American Heart Association.
The families are highly active in promoting awareness around organ donation, and those interested in becoming organ donors can sign up through the Living Legacy Foundation.
