The images on television shocked a world into action.
Families homeless, children starving, entire sitting blocks left in ruins. They were the staples of the correspondences that came from the island of Haiti following a major earthquake in January.
For many around world-either with an association to Haiti or a concerned humanitarian-this event forced them into action.
For Kyle Adams, however, it only strengthened the resolve.
"Before the earthquake, Haiti was pretty desperate, miserable place, not all of Haiti is a desperate miserable place, but there are some pockets of pure misery there," said the Purdue senior tight end of the country. "After the earthquake that just got worse."
He should know. Adams' trip to the country in May was the third he'd made in a relief role since arriving at Purdue to play football. In partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Adams has also done work in South Africa working with an orphanage along with his trio of trips to the island.
It wasn't on his short list of things to do when he arrived from Austin, TX to play football five years ago, but quickly became a focal point of his college experience.
"I honestly feel I've been so blessed with so many things, great family great friends and when you see people in Haiti who are starving, who have no food, no health care.
"With everything that I have and everything that God has given me. I feel called to help those people as well."
That came in 2008, when Adams made his first trip to Haiti, and the magnitude of the project he was undertaking took shape upon his arrival in the country.
"You literally see people on the street corners starving to death, dying from curable diseases," recalled Adams of the first trip. "When you see families with no food, no clean water, 12 people living in a house the size of my dorm room, its shocking, absolutely shocking.
"It shatters your perceptions on the world."
At the same time, however, it gave him persepective and even a bit of direction to where to go following his final year in West Lafayette.
"It really inspired me for lifetime goals," said Adams of the Haiti trip, which he made with a number of his Purdue teammates. "You can't fix Haiti in a week-period-and you and only do so much in the eight or nine days we are down there."
"So I'd like to make a career out of to try and help people in Haiti and around the world."
But first he has some business to take care of on the field in his role as the top tight end for the Boliermakers. Adams caught 29 passes for 249 yards in 2009 and this year has been named a co-captain for the team in what could be a breakout year.
"He's really letting it all hang out as a football player," said Purdue head coach Danny Hope of Adams' play on the field. "He's a much more wide open player, much more of a vocal leader than he has been in the past and shows a lot more emotion on the football field."
A lot of that, however, can be credited to what the tight end has done off it.
"It really makes me enjoy football, appreciate what I've been given with football, appreciate that its a wonderful sport that I get to play with some of my best friends," said Adams.
