Tom Brady donates to the Florida’s Hurricane Ian Disaster Fund

Tom Brady has said he is going to make a donation to the Hurricane Ian Florida Disaster Fund and has encouraged others to do the same.

The legendary NFL figure took to Twitter to make the call on Thursday, shortly after it emerged his Tampa Bay Buccaneers team will play at the Raymond James Stadium on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bucs have spent the week practicing in Miami while the hurricane has struck.

Tom Brady has said he is going to make a donation to the Hurricane Ian Florida Disaster Fund

Brady took to Twitter to encourage others to make a donation to help after Ian struck 

Writing on Twitter, Brady said: ‘Happy were (sic) able to head home for Sunday night, but so many people in Florida won’t be able to do the same. 

‘I’ll be making a donation to the Florida Disaster Fund to get things started, and I’m hoping the rest of the NFL family in our state will follow suit.’

He didn’t say how much he would donate, but added: ‘Our neighbors support us endlessly, it’s time to return the favor.’

It was announced earlier on Thursday that the Bucs would be hosting the Sunday night game.

Brady’s team said: ‘Our thoughts and prayers remain with the many thousands in the Southwest Florida region who have been severely impacted by Hurricane Ian. 

‘We are also very thankful that the Tampa Bay area was spared the most damaging consequences of this powerful storm.

‘We have informed the NFL, after consulting with local and state agencies, that we are ready to play Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium as originally scheduled.’

The team also thanked first responders ‘who are already battling the elements, saving lives, and helping our neighbors in those most impacted areas to our south.’ 

Rescue crews waded through flooded streets and used boats Thursday in a scramble to save people trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed a cross-section of Florida and brought torrential rains that inundated more communities.

The destruction began to come into focus a day after Ian made landfall in Florida as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit to the US The storm flooded homes on both of the state’s coasts, cut off the only bridge to a barrier island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier and knocked out electricity to 2.67 million Florida homes and businesses. At least one man was confirmed dead.

‘We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude,’ Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told a news conference. ‘The amount of water that´s been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event.’

The NFL is going to take its chances with Hurricane Ian by keeping Sunday night’s Chiefs-Buccaneers game at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium (pictured)

Boats pictured scattered amidst mobile homes after Ian struck the San Carlos area of Florida 

Though downgraded to a tropical storm by Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said storm surge and flooding rains remained a threat as Ian crept across the Florida peninsula and emerged in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Canaveral. 

Forecasters predicted a northward turn toward South Carolina, and a hurricane warning was issued for the state´s coastline.

Sheriffs in southwest Florida said 911 centers were inundated by thousands of stranded callers, some with life-threatening emergencies. The US Coast Guard began rescue efforts around daybreak on barrier islands near where the Ian struck, DeSantis said. Fire departments fanned out in flooded areas as well.