WNBA Star Donates Half Her Salary to Charity

New York Liberty center Tina Charles will donate half her WNBA salary to her foundation, Hopey's Heart, according to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press.

The donation of approximately $50,000 marks the second time Charles has funneled half her earnings to the charity, which she started in memory of her aunt, Maureen "Hopey" Vaz, who died of multiple organ failure in 2013.

The funds will go toward the purchase of more automatic external defibrillators, 16 of which will be heading to Europe in an effort to supply all EuroLeague women arenas with one on site. 

Over the last few years, the WNBA star has purchased 142 AEDs. In addition to the AEDs, her foundation provides health care education and CPR training in schools, communities and recreation centers.

"It means a lot just to keep the awareness out there about sudden cardiac arrest," Charles told Feinberg. "Taking an interest in others is key in my life. It's my way of giving back. My passion of placing AEDs. Anything I can do to impact an institution with an AED is extremely important to me."

According to Feinberg, the foundation also commemorates Wes Leonard, a high school basketball player from Michigan who died of cardiac arrest in 2011 after he made a game-winning shot for his team.

[Associated Press]