Rob Gronkowski donates $1.2 million to renovate Boston playground

NFL star Rob Gronkowski and his youth foundation are donating $1.2 million to help restore a beloved playground in Boston. The funds will help renovate the Charlesbank Playground on the city's Charles River Esplanade and create a trust to maintain the property.

Gronkowski, 31, made the donation through his organization, the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, which is dedicated to helping kids through sports, education, fitness and community development. "The concept of this playground will be to motivate kids to be outdoors, get fit and have fun," Gronkowski said in a news conference Friday. "I hope this playground inspires the next generation of athletes." Gronkowski said his organization helped raise the funds at the Boston Marathon. The donation is one of the largest private gifts ever given to a state park in Massachusetts, according to Michael Nichols, the executive director of the Esplanade Association.