THE SIDELINES : Note From Girl Touches Douglas

Heavyweight boxing champion James (Buster) Douglas says he was so moved by a note from a homeless girl that he sought her out and paid her a surprise visit at school.

“It’s something that keeps me in tune to how fortunate I am and the blessings that I can pass along to someone else,” Douglas said of his meeting with 12-year-old Paula Taylor.

While Douglas was visiting the Columbus Boys’ Club in late May, Paula had a handwritten note delivered to him. It asked Douglas to visit the Faith Mission, where homeless people stay.

“She said that she was homeless and how much she loved me,” Douglas said. “She invited me to come down to the shelter to show people that I do care about them.”

Douglas visited the shelter twice, hoping to meet the girl and her family. But they had already found a home. So he tracked her down and paid her a surprise visit at school.

“It was amazing,” Paula said.”When I would see him on the news, I would never think in my life that I would ever meet him.”

Douglas has tried to help Paula’s mother find a job and has bought gifts for the family and clothing for the girl.