Inglewood foot surgeon Bill Releford has powerful memories from Washington DC over Super Bowl weekend.
As the Packers pounded the Steelers, Dr. Releford was watching with President Barack Obama and 100 guests in the White House.
Somehow, Releford’s Black Barbershop Health Outreach program got the attention of The Obama Administration.
"Never before have we had contact with the White House. One day I was having lunch, and I got a phone call from a White House representative, that you've been invited to the White House Super Bowl party. I was totally floored, and I'm still levitating by the whole experience," states Dr. Bill J. Releford, with the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program.
Three years ago at the barbershop "Inglewood's Finest" Dr. Releford founded health outreach for uninsured Black men.
Donte Kelly recalls the early days.
"Within a year he had idea to go to barbershops to do screenings for diabetes and hypertension. He shot the idea to me, and I said it was a great idea. He took it and ran with it," according to Donte Kelly, barber.
Seven hundred barbershops nationwide are now in Releford's network, a story he’s says proudly shared with President Obama during half time.
"One of his representatives brought him over and said you need to meet Dr. Releford! He came over, and we shook hands, and it was kind of this joining and meeting of the minds, when I explained to him what we were doing," recalls Dr. Bill J. Releford, of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program.
Releford now treasures his cell phone images and his memories.
"Just butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't really eat anything, because I was still just blown away by the whole invitation to the White House for the Super Bowl," according to Dr. Bill J. Releford, of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program.
While J-Lo and Rev Al Sharpton schmoozed with Mr Obama, Dr. Releford says he phoned his seventy year old father.
"I called my dad during half time, on the phone. I said dad I just talked to the President of the United States, and I shook his hand," recalls Dr. Bill J. Releford, of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program.
