Thomas Wilson and his family made the drive from Houston to Dallas on Saturday to support a dedicated group of people trying to make pickleball history — and do an exceptionally good deed in the process.

Chong "CK" Kim, Geneva Olson, Cristobal Del Castillo, and Abla Mannarino are currently competing at Pickler Universe in Carrollton, TX in hopes of setting the Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball marathon.

Kim, Olson, Del Castillo and Mannarino are members of the Pickle Breakers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using pickleball to inspire community, inclusion, and charitable giving. 

Their mission is to break barriers through pickleball — connecting athletes of all abilities, sharing compelling stories, and producing exceptional events that raise funds for causes that matter.

It just so happens that Wilson is the beneficiary of their efforts this time around.

The UPA Tour pro is battling a rare autoimmune and autonomic nervous system disorder that impacts his breathing, circulation, and muscle endurance, and he has pursued treatment across the country and internationally via therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and stem-cell therapy.

These advanced therapies are extraordinarily expensive, so the Pickle Breakers have stepped up to provide assistance.

Every donation goes directly toward supporting Wilson's recovery journey.

"You feel so undeserving. It just doesn't really make sense that anyone would want to give their hard-earned money to somebody that they don't even know very well. Just people that are willing to do that, it's honestly mind-blowing. I don't know if people realize truly how much it means to us," said Wilson, shortly after arriving on-site at the facility.

"It's just been such a rough time, and to have just the emotional love and support alone means everything to us, and the fact that people are willing to do even more than that is just mind-blowing. It's really hard to grasp, and almost hard to accept, because I was playing pickleball for a living, like I've had a great life, and then I hit the biggest hurdle in my life, and the fact that people are there to pick me up when my family's down, it means a ton to us."

Wilson is widely regarded as one of the kindest players on the professional circuit, and the pickleball community has been behind him every step of the way since this ordeal began.

"A big part of this is somehow your character and who you are, and it resonates," praised Pickle Breakers co-founder, Colby Logan, who interviewed Wilson on YouTube. "It's hard to take a compliment, but you're a pretty cool dude. I think a lot of people feel that way, and they really want to help, and this is one small way that they can help."

Click here to make a donation for Thomas.