More Than an Athlete: Caitlin Clark Quietly Launches the Biggest Fundraising Project of Her Career After Learning a Young Fan Who Once Wrote to Her Died in the Flood.
July 2025. The United States is still reeling from the devastating floods that swept across Texas. Thousands of homes were destroyed, families displaced, and among the victims, one name stopped Caitlin Clark in her tracks: Emma Le, 10 years old, a little girl who once wrote her a letter that read,
“I want to be strong like you.”
Emma is the youngest daughter of a Vietnamese American family in Houston, 10 years old.. Her parents ran a small community basketball academy, where she first discovered Caitlin Clark through a highlight video. Two years ago, Emma sent a short, sweet handwritten letter to Clark — one the star later mentioned in an interview during her rookie WNBA season:
“I cried when I read Emma’s letter. It reminded me that basketball is more than a game — it’s about inspiration.”
Now, Emma and her parents are gone. Their house was swept away during an emergency evacuation. Caitlin heard the news from a local volunteer at a Houston shelter — the very place where she was distributing supplies.
She stood in silence for several minutes after hearing Emma’s name. No cameras, no press, just a young basketball player staring at the muddy floor, eyes full of tears, clutching an old photo of a girl who once dreamed of being like her.
From Personal Grief to a Legacy Project
Upon returning from Texas, Caitlin immediately began work on a deeply personal and unprecedented project: a short documentary titled “Strong Like Emma.”
Shot entirely on-site at flood shelters and devastated neighborhoods, the film combines raw footage, personal journal entries from Caitlin’s time on the ground, and interviews with survivors. It’s not about her fame. It’s not even about basketball.
It’s about loss, memory, and human resilience.
In the final minutes of the film, Caitlin’s voice cracks as she says:
“When I saw Emma’s name on the victim board, something changed in me. I knew I couldn’t go back to life as usual. I had to do something — not for myself, but for those who no longer have a voice.”
From the Heart, Not the Spotlight
No press conference. No sponsored campaign. Caitlin quietly uploaded the trailer for Strong Like Emma on her personal Instagram with a single caption:
“For Emma. For everyone who never made it home.”
The response was overwhelming. Within 48 hours, the trailer amassed over 18 million views, and a linked fundraising campaign titled “Every $1 = 1 Day of Hope” raised more than $2 million — all from fans, families, and strangers moved by her sincerity.
The funds are being directed straight to disaster relief organizations, with a focus on immigrant families, underserved communities, and Vietnamese-American neighborhoods hit hardest by the floods.
One fan page wrote:
“Caitlin didn’t have to do this. She’s already famous. But she chose to act — for a little girl who once believed in her, and for thousands whose names we’ll never know.”
Stronger Off the Court
Strong Like Emma isn’t just a film — it’s a powerful symbol of a new kind of leadership in sports. One rooted in empathy, not just excellence.
At 23, Caitlin could’ve gone back to training, focused on games, and protected her rising brand. But she didn’t.
Instead, she chose to carry a story that wasn’t hers. To hold space for grief. To use her voice for those who no longer have one.
“I Made a Promise to Emma”
The final scene in the film fades to black, and we hear Caitlin whisper backstage:
“I made a promise to Emma in that letter — that she could always believe in me. And now, I have to keep that promise… even if she’s no longer here.”
The project is ongoing. Caitlin has declined all media requests and awards related to the campaign. She simply posted one last message to her followers:
“Be strong like Emma. And if you can still help — don’t wait.”
