Featured Big Hearted Gamer: Tim Wells

We support the gamers who play games and volunteer for charity. BigHeartedGamers.com wants to recognize people who support their communities, locally or at large.

What was the game that turned you into a gamer?

When I was five years old, my dad brought home an Atari 2600. He popped in Combat, handed me a joystick, and I’ve been a gamer ever since.

What video game charities do you play or volunteer for?

I play for the Extra Life charity, supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

What made you decide to play for charity?

After my youngest daughter was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the age of four, she spent quite a bit of time in our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. I was looking for a way to give back, and was alerted to the Extra Life charity by my teammate, Sandra.

How do you promote your campaigns?

I promote heavily through my blog (ReviewDad.com) and social media channels. My family and friends help me come up with creative ways to reward donors and embarrass myself, like last year’s Elsa lip sync video.

What are some of your most rewarding experiences in gaming for charity?

“Attending the inaugural Extra Life United event in 2014 was a life-changing experience. The courage, enthusiasm, and life displayed by the champion kids is awe-inspiring and humbling.

Being able to share my passion for helping sick and injured children with my own family is also very rewarding. Seeing how excited my kids get about helping others brings me a lot of joy.”

Is there anything else we should know about you in regards to being a “Big Hearted” Gamer?

“My family and I are planning to begin live streaming on a regular basis, starting in November of 2015, with a focus on Extra Life. We’d love it if you’d join us at twitch.tv/familythatgames!

We’ll also be dedicating this year’s 24-hour Extra Life live stream, on November 7th, to Dominic Rooney, who passed away this year from leukemia, at the age of two. #dominicstrong”

Thank you Tim! You can support Tim and his endeavors with Extra Life on his participant page. Are you a Big Hearted Gamer? We would love to hear from you! Strike up a conversation with @bigheartedgamer on Twitter.