Bears Care, the organization's charitable arm, received an unsuspected generous donation a few weeks ago after the Bears beat the Rams.
The contribution came from Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, a diehard Rams fan who visited Chicago the weekend of the Week 4 matchup. Cranston was in town with former co-star Aaron Paul to partake in Chicago Gourmet — a distinguished food festival — and promote their mezcal brand.
While the trip's intention was to enjoy the Chicago food scene and celebrate their newest venture together, Cranston left the city with a $10,000 due.
Cranston expressed the utmost confidence in the Rams prior to the Sept. 29 game and declared that he would "personally send a check for $10,000 to a Chicago-based charity" if Los Angeles lost.
After the Bears came away with a 24-18 win over the Rams, Cranston stayed true to his word. He decided to make his donation to Bears Care to support its commitment to expanding opportunities for children in the areas of youth athletics and education and investing in local women's cancer research and treatment programs.
"Many years ago, as a parent to a young child, I would empower my daughter with making decisions on her own – but I would present her with options that whatever she chose, it would be already approved by me," Cranston told ChicagoBears.com. "This silly impulsive bet I made that my Rams would beat the Bears that weekend was one of those situations. The veritable win-win. Even though my team lost, the great work that Bears Care does made everyone a winner.
"I'm happy to be able to help the community of Chicago, the birthplace of both of my parents, through my donation. It's important for organizations to uplift the communities they work in – something we put into practice with the village where Dos Hombres Mezcal is produced in Oaxaca, Mexico. You've got a really good team – both on the field and off. I'm glad the Bears' win led me to contribute to a cause supporting children and those affected by breast and ovarian cancer."
Rightfully so, director of Bears Care Marge Hamm was shocked to learn of Cranston's interest in fulfilling his personal bet. However, Hamm was beyond honored that Cranston chose to direct his donation toward Bears Care and appreciated the commitment to his word.
"It was quite a surprise to hear from Bryan's team the day after the Rams game," Hamm said. "Bears Care was thrilled to accept his generous donation and I was impressed by his commitment to quickly make good on his pledge. We agree it was a Win-Win for Chicagoans!"
