Dallas

Organization, Youth Football Team Grant Teen's Wish

Tuesday's Game 6 of the World Series is a very important game for the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals, but the previous three games were more important for a Keller teen.

While the Giants were taking a 3-2 lead in the series, 13-year-old Jacob Reece was at AT&T Park in San Francisco experiencing a wish come true.

Reece was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma in June of 2013. Even worse than the treatment was living a life without his beloved baseball. So when he finished treatment a few months ago, he went to a Wish with Wings with a request: He wanted to go the World Series.

“OK, maybe not so simple,” writes executive director Judy Youngs.

For the seasoned staff of four at Fort Worth non-profit organization a Wish with Wings, which grants wishes for Texas children with life-threatening conditions, requests like this are all in a day’s work. And the more challenging, the better.

Undaunted by the fact that they would not know when, where or even which cities would host the series, the “Wish Ladies,” as the wish kids refer to them, went to work. They immediately sent ticket requests to the Texas Rangers for the family of five to the World Series. All they had was hope.

But, after all, isn’t that what Magical Wishes are all about? Hope.

The Wish Ladies received support from the YMCA Longhorn football team made up of 5th- and 6th-grade boys. Players learned of Jacob’s wish and set in motion to make it come true.

“The boys have worked all season getting sponsors for each of their games, and 28 young men have granted this wish by providing airfare, tickets and money for food, hotel, souvenirs for their family of 5,” Longhorn mother Michelle Marlow told NBC 5.

Marlow said the boys raised $9,866, enough to send the Reece family of five to the World Series for three games. Youngs credited the Texas Rangers for coming through with the tickets for all of Jacob’s family to join him at the games.

“I just knew that our boys would love the opportunity to partner with a Wish with Wings and help grant Jacob’s Wish to attend the World Series. And I knew we could make it happen,” Marlow said. “As a mom of all boys, it warms my heart to see these young men serving others and I could not be more thrilled that they picked an organization that I adore!”

Longhorn Coach John Brookman commended the boys.

“I’m very proud of this team," he said. "Jacob has fought the good fight every day for the past year and a half. And he has won. He has earned this victory.”

Jacob and his family left from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Oct. 23 on all expenses-paid trip to San Francisco and the chance to live a wish come true.

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