Clyde Frazier Jr. was one of many heroes who lost his life saving others in the 9/11 tragedy he was the last to leave, ensuring everyone had cleared his office.
This was a man who gave back to the New York City community, he was a hero on that tragic day in history. But truth be told, Frazier had been a hero every day of his life, embracing the youth of his Harlem community, especially in the program he founded, the Slam Jam Womens Basketball Classic. At the height of the program it included hundreds of girls.
Though Frazier devoted his time to other programs, it was the young girls who benefited so very much. The Slam Jam proved to be one of the most successful youth programs in New York City under the counsel of Frazier, who used the program to enforce the necessity of education. And soon enough, the Slam Jam girls could be seen in action on the basketball court and in the classrooms.
Recently, Clyde Frazier Sr. told his story about losing his son and about how the younger Frazier used his own money to fund the Slam Jam program, using athletics to reach youth and tutor in some of the city’s toughest neighborhoods. “He’d take money out of his own pocket, James Frazier said of his brother.
Real estate mogul Donald Trump saw the elder Frazier’s interview about his son and Slam Jam on Good Day New York and was so touched that he reached out to “Good Day New York” and made a donation to Slam Jam. “It’s a check for $25,000, said the shocked elder Frazier. “I feel a little nervous. I’m talking about a billionaire. He’s a man of the world. He’s a master builder. It’s a dream come true.