'I just want to give back': Alphonso Davies unveils new burger for Stollery fundraiser

Alphonso Davies giving back at Stollery fundraiser The Edmonton soccer star spent some of his off season training time helping give back. Nahreman Issa explains.

International soccer star Alphonso Davies greeted hundreds of fans in his hometown of Edmonton Saturday while promoting a new fundraiser for the Stollery Children's Hospital.

"The Phonzy burger with the special 19 sauce" will be sold at Burger Daddy, and half of the proceeds on the 19th of every month will be given to the children's charity.

"I just want to give back to my community. The Stollery helps a lot of families, a lot of kids, and I just want to give back to them," Davies told reporters.

He spent several hours meeting people, signing autographs and taking photos. The lineup was snaked through the parking lot on 45 Street and 167 Avenue.

"I'm happy that they're able to come out and come see me. I'm happy to meet my fans and meet my Edmontonians and I'm grateful for this," Davies said.

"These kids need help, and I'm able to help. So I try to do it in a way that I know how to."

Kelli White, a teacher from Saskatchewan, drove six hours to meet the 21-year-old Bayern Munich and Team Canada star.

"I just think he's an amazing role model. And all my students know Mrs. White is the biggest Alphonso Davies fan," she said before sitting down to her burger.

"So when there was an opportunity to come say hi and get something signed, six hours didn't seem like a very big deal."

White said Davies' journey particularly inspires her. He was born in a refugee camp in Ghana to Liberian parents who fled civil war in their home country. The family came to Canada when Davies was five.

"I just told him that I think he's a great role model and I encouraged him to perhaps think about writing a middle-year graphic novel about being a refugee," she said, saying kids would enjoy reading that from someone who lived it.

Firas Househ, owner of Burger Daddy, said he didn't know how much the Phonzy burger would raise but he hopes it's a lot.

"Us, as Edmontonians, we enjoy giving back to the community," he said.

Davies' burger has two patties, cheese, onion and lettuce and special sauce that Househ wouldn't reveal.

"He created his own sauce, you gotta try it," he said with a laugh.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa and The Canadian Press