Tennyson Erickson pipes right up when asked about Larry Fitzgerald Jr. these days.
“He’s nice and humble,” Tennyson said when asked to explain why Fitzgerald, a surefire future NFL Hall-of-Fame wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, is this 9-year-old’s favorite athlete.
More than two years ago, Tennyson, who lives with his family in Platte, South Dakota, was part of a Make-A-Wish visit to Arizona Cardinals mini-camp to spend a day with Fitzgerald.
It was an unforgettable experience for Erickson and his family, but Fitzgerald didn’t forget about the visit either.
This May, more than two years after meeting Fitzgerald in Arizona, the youngster was at theSanford Children’s Hospitalin Sioux Falls, South Dakota, celebrating the end of 1,206 days of cancer treatments.
It is customary to commemorate this kind of occasion by ringing a bell. In this case, the family and the Sanford Children’s child life team arranged to have it take place outside.
It has been a challenge during the pandemic to find suitable and festive ways to recognize these occasions, the child life folks will tell you. In this instance, however, the team had help from a 17-year-year NFL veteran.
Fitzgerald reaches out
Fitzgerald and the Cardinals organization wanted to be there for Tennyson’s big day. While pandemic conditions ruled out a personal visit, Cardinals media relations manager Mike Helm, along with Wendy Jensen, a specialist with Sanford’s child life team, came up with a plan.
It began with Tennyson, wearing an Arizona Cardinals jersey for the occasion, giving the bell a sound ringing. Then Jensen called him over and told him he had a phone call. Tennyson wasn’t sure what to think of that, but when Jensen handed him the phone he figured it out.
Looking back at the boy on the smartphone screen was Fitzgerald, who had watched the ceremony via Zoom.
“His eyes opened so wide when he saw who it was,” Jensen said. “It was so fabulous. It could not have gone any better.”
Tennyson!
Fitzgerald quickly seized the moment.
“Tennyson!” he began. “What’s up big man? How are you doing? I missed you man. I’m so happy for you. I’m so happy to be here to see you ring the bell. That must have been a long, long journey for you. … I think everybody around you can be there to celebrate and tell you what a special young man you are.”
Tennyson can be a little shy around strangers according to his mother, but Fitzgerald, who artfully filled in the gaps during the Zoom meeting, was no longer a stranger.
“Larry is so sincere,” Diana said. “That’s how he is all the time with us. Every time he’s spent time with Tennyson it’s ‘How are you doing? How are you feeling? Are you doing well in school?’”
Fitzgerald’s tweet, which included photographs from his visit to Arizona, said it all:
“Congrats to one of my heroes. After 1,206 days of treatment, 10 rounds of chemo, & 34 nights in the hospital, my guy Tennyson Erickson rang the bell signaling he is done with treatment and CANCER FREE! You’re a warrior full of strength and courage and an inspiration to us all!”
Discovering leukemia
The happiness of the bell-ringing was a long way from the day Diana discovered a lump on Tennyson’s neck while they were sitting together watching television.
几天之内，埃里克森夫妇发现他们的儿子得了一种白血病。
总的来说，治疗时间超过了3年。这包括21次脊椎穿刺，在医院住了34个晚上，10种化疗，2次手术，3次急诊，数百次针刺，在桑福德儿童医院待了好几个小时。
戴安娜说:“我知道城堡里的人一直在照顾孩子们，这是他们的工作。”“但他们似乎一直在超越我们的预期。护理水平简直令人难以置信。现在，当我看到那些人的时候，我就会走过去跟他们打招呼。“在新冠病毒出现之前，我会给他们一个拥抱。他们成为了我们家庭的一部分。”
Sometime after Tennyson began getting treatments, the Ericksons were approached about the possibility of consenting to a Make-A-Wish adventure for their son. It was an intriguing idea, but also a little difficult to think about.
“We were still processing the whole thing,” Diana said. “It was still in the early part of the treatments when they approached us. We almost felt like we didn’t fit in that category, you know? And then you realize you kinda do fit but you don’t want to admit it.”
Fitzgerald’s Cardinals
在批准这项计划后，许愿基金会的人与丁尼生进行了交谈。他们离开的时候知道这个年轻人已经被亚利桑那红雀队(Arizona Cardinals)的足球队迷住了。
许愿会收到红雀队的回复后，联系了ESPN。这家体育电视网表示，他们也很感兴趣，并开始制定计划。
2018年6月，丁尼生与ESPN一起进行了旅行，并将此次访问作为他们“我的愿望”系列的一部分。接下来，记者克里斯·康纳利(Chris Connelly)讲述了一个同样温暖人心的故事，菲茨杰拉德完美地适合让一个7岁的孩子来看望他，让他难忘。其中包括丁尼生与球队老板迈克尔·比德威尔(Michael Bidwill)签约，并在红雀队(Cardinals)训练结束时达阵得分。
When Tennyson Erickson was 7, he spent two days with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals courtesy of Make-A-Wish. (Video by ESPN)
Tennyson, surrounded by Cardinals players, did “The Floss” in the end zone after scoring the touchdown. It would have been a fitting end to the connection between the team and the family, but it didn’t end there.
The Ericksons have attended several Arizona Cardinals football games since the mini-camp visit. On one occasion in a game against the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis, Fitzgerald actually made a catch on a sideline route near the end zone and then tossed the ball to the family in the front row.
The kind gestures of a star football player have helped lighten the load for the Ericksons. Mom and Dad’s resolve, as well as the unwavering support of Tennyson’s four older siblings, have also played a huge role in helping Tennyson get back to living life the way 9-year-old Arizona Cardinals fans are supposed to live it.
“He’s done really well through this whole thing,” Diana said. “He’s had his bad days where he didn’t feel so well but when he talks about it he’s never talked about it like it’s been a hardship. Through all the treatments and everything else, he might not have liked what he’s had to do but he’s always loved seeing everybody.”
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Posted InCancer,Children's,Sioux Falls,Specialty Care
