Lloyd Carr Honored By A Donor And Former Players

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - Lloyd Carr's legacy is about to get larger.

The Al Glick family made a $3 million gift to name the seventh floor "The Coach Carr Pediatric Cancer Unit," in Mott Children's Hospital when it opens in November.

"You can only imagine what an honor this is," Carr said, choking up, after the announcement was made Saturday night at the Champions for Children's Hearts gala dinner.

About 80 people, mostly ex-players of Carr's, combined to donate more than $750,000 to create "The Mountaintop Fund," to honor Carr by helping Mott patients reach the summit of their lives.

"It just shows the amount of respect people have for Lloyd," Charles Woodson said.

Carr retired after the 2007 season with 122 wins and the 1997 national championship on his resume, which will soon include an induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, according to Brian Griese. He also inspired his players to give back to the community by visiting children at Mott.

"It's awesome because he's so passionate about Mott," Jeff Backus said. "To honor him by putting his name on part of the hospital that will be there forever is a great way to honor a great man forever."

Steve Hutchinson, who is hosting fundraising events this weekend on and around campus along with Woodson and Griese, said it wasn't difficult to convince former players to donate.

"I think everybody that was contacted found a way to contribute," Hutchinson said. "Some guys probably overstepped their budget to do it.

"When guys go to the hospital and see the plaque, they want to be on that plaque."

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Larry Lage can be reached at http://twitter.com/larrylage

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