With her love of soccer and support from idol, Alex Morgan, Mackenzie Toman overcame serious illness.
Courtesy: Wish.org
Mackenzie Toman plays forward on a youth soccer club in Davison, Michigan. Toman loves the game and is pretty good at it, too. A few years ago–it was in November 2015, to be specific–Toman played exceptionally well, scoring two goals in a 4-3 win.
But once the game was over, she told her parents that she needed to sit down for a few minutes. Her leg had gone numb.
Symptoms persisted, severe enough for her to seek medical attention. Doctors informed Toman and her parents that Mackenzie had Chiari malformation, ” a condition in which brain tissue extends into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward.”
Doctors told Toman that she wouldn’t be able to play soccer or any other physical sport. But Mackenzie’s love of soccer trumped all. Her parents found just the right headgear for her to wear and–with approvals gained from physicians and the soccer league–Mackenzie was cleared to rejoin her team.
Courtesy: Arizona Sports
All the while, Mackenzie’s story was spreading. Word eventually got to the U.S. women’s national soccer team, and that’s where Alex Morgan became part of this story. It was Mackenzie’s wish to meet the national team and watch a game.
Her dream came true.
Morgan invited Mackenzie and her family to come to Chicago to meet the team, attend practice, and watch the team play a game. There, the young lady with that serious illness got to meet her favorite player and kick the ball with her.
The USA team won the game, and members awarded Mackenzie with the game ball. She also received a team jersey signed by every member of the team.
ESPN documented the incredible, heartwarming story. Watch it here with local media coverage shown in the video that follows.
