AUSTIN, Texas — The Harlem Globetrotters are in Austin, but there's more going on beyond what happens on the basketball court.
As a part of the team's "Smile Patrol" program, Orlando "El Gato" Melendez visited children at the St. David's Children's Hospital Wednesday morning. He handed out signatures, showed some of his tricks and brought some smiles to the kids faces.
"I just want to bring a little bit of smile and a little bit of fun," Melendez said. "Sometimes, they can not make it to the game, so it's a good thing for us to go and visit them."
Melendez showed off his signature ball-handling skills and tricks during his time with the kids and also made it clear he wasn't just there for the kids -- it was for their parents as well.
"For me, the best thing is just giving them a positive message about keeping their faith and staying strong," Melendez said. "You have to keep yourself smiling because if your kids sees you sad, it's going to transfer to them because they're going to see you worry. The best thing for parents is just to stay happy."
Melendez also visited Lagos Elementary School later Wednesday afternoon to talk about ways to fight bullying in school.
The Globetrotters will be at the Frank Erwin Center for their show on Friday, Feb. 1. If you would like to buy tickets, call 512-477-6060 or click here.