Ask the Backstreet Boys to describe a typical day in their lives and you know you will be shocked that they have not collapsed from total exhaustion. Ever since they rocketed to music superstardom with their 1997 self-titled debut album featuring "Quit Playin Games (With my Heart)" and "As Long As You Love Me," Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson have crammed a hectic schedule of rehearsals, press confreneces, photo sessions, sound checks, recording sessions, personal appearances and concerts into nearly every day, not to mention the hundreds of hours the BSB guys spend traveling on buses and planes to their numerous concert destinations.
Just reading their jam-packed schedule is enough to make you tired! So you'd probably be totally understanding if the boys said that when they have free time, all they want to do is crash in their beds and catch up on some much need R&R. However, that's not what the Backstreet Boys do when they get a break in their schedules. Instead of curling up with their pillows, these good hearted guys put their own needs aside and spend time doing good deeds.
At most of the cities they've visited on their concert tours, for example, 24-year-old Howie says "We always fo to nursing centers and children's hospitals and we sing and visit and try to bring a little happiness into their lives. We've been to hospitals and nursing homes all over the United States,"
Howie and his bandmates also dedicate a lot of time to planning and participating in charity fundraisers. "We're always doing stuff with cancer, AIDS, terminally ill kids and stuff like that," Nick, 18, shares with BOP. for instance, while the guys were in Europe on their recent concert tour, they all got together in their free hours and organised a charity basketball game with European musicians. "It raised a lot of money, and all the proceeds went to children with cancer or terminal diseases," Howie says.
That basketball game was only one countless charity events that the Backstreet Boys have taken part throughout their careers. For the past twp years, they've also given their free time to Hand in Hand for Children, a charity foundation that produces a CD filled with songs from music stars every year. "All the artist who are on theCd come together and put on a benifit concert," Kevin, 26, explains to BOP. "All the proceeds go to the cancer research and children with terminal diseases, stuff like that."
The Backstreet Boys are more than willing to sacrifice a few hours of free time here and there to work with charitable causes like this. Thar's because Nick, Howie, Brian, AJ and Kevin believe that it's totally important and deeply meaningfull to help others. "We've always believed that if you give of yourself you're going to get it back," Kevin says. "What goes around, comes around." In other words, if they lend helping hands to someone in need today, hopefully someone will return the favor if the Backstreet Boys ever need help in the future!
The Backstreet Boys definately keep a positive and upbeat attitude toward their charity work, but that doesn't mesn mean it's always fun for them. They admit that sometimes it's not easy. They have a really tough time when they visit childrens hospitals or when they invite sick kids backstage at their concerts. "We've met children who have cancer and it just makes you wonder, why?" sighs Nick. "It's the saddest thing." Twenty-year-old AJ agrees: "Sometimes, it get kind of emotional, especially when we see kids who are dying. Stuff like that brings tears to our eyes."
Seeing children who have terminal illnesses is especially hard for Kevin, who lost his father, Jerald, to cancer in 1992. "Sometimes backstage during one of our meet-and-greets, there will be a child who is terminally ill and it really breaks my heart, you know?" he tells Bop. "It's sad that anyone has to die from cancer, but a little kid who doesn't even get a chance to live a life ---- man, I just can't take that. I usually end up crying."
Inspite of all these tears, Kevin and his bandmates says that spending time with kids suffering from serious illnesses is ultimately one of the most worthwhile things they do in their lives. "At first when you do things like that it's tough because it makes you very sad," Brian explains. "Butat the same time, it's very rewarding because you're doing something very nice and fullfilling a wish for somebody."
One of the most rewarding moments for the Backstreet Boys came recently, when they invited a Canadian girl recovering from cancer to come backstage to visit them while they were on tour. "She was really sick, recalls Kevin. "But her mom told us the girl bought our CD and it helped her a lot. Sheplayed while doing her physical thereapy exercises, which were really tough. The lyrics or the rhythm, i guess, really inspired her to keep trying. It meant so much to her to meet us." As you can imagine, kevin and his bandmates were deeply moved when they heard the girls story.
The Backstreet Boys say tht it is times like these that make all the hours they dedicate to charitible causes worthwhile. Why would these generous guys want to waste their precious few free hours sleeping when they could be lifting people's spirits and raising money to research and cure serious illnesses? "Charity work is always the best," declares AJ. Adds Howie, "We just try to bring a little happinessinto peoples lives, that makes you feels so good."
