<\/p>\n
Our 10-year-old son had only one final wish: to watch a real football game with Mom and Dad. We thought the entire trip was simply about giving Ethan one unforgettable day. Then our faces appeared on the stadium\u2019s massive screen, the announcer told us to turn around, and I watched my son quietly hide a smile as my husband suddenly froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom! LOOK!\u201d<\/p>\n
Ethan almost dropped his drink as he pointed excitedly toward the enormous screen hanging above the field.<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
There we were.<\/p>\n
Chris sat on one side of Ethan, and I was on the other. Ethan was squeezed between us in his blue team jersey, smiling so brightly that, for one perfect moment, he looked just like every other happy 10-year-old in the stadium.<\/p>\n
I waved toward the camera.<\/p>\n
Chris lifted both hands into the air.<\/p>\n
Ethan shouted, \u201cWE\u2019RE FAMOUS!\u201d<\/p>\n
The people sitting around us laughed and started waving too.<\/p>\n
I had already filled my phone with more pictures than I could count that afternoon, but I reached for it once again.<\/p>\n
Then the stadium announcer spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cEthan, we\u2019re so glad you could join us today.\u201d<\/p>\n
My son stopped bouncing in his seat.<\/p>\n
His face appeared even bigger across the giant screen.<\/p>\n
The announcer continued, \u201cBut there\u2019s something you don\u2019t know about this trip.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked over at Chris.<\/p>\n
He looked every bit as confused as I was.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll three of you,\u201d the announcer said, \u201cplease turn around and look behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n
People sitting nearby began twisting around in their seats.<\/p>\n
Ethan grabbed my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it, Mom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n
We turned around.<\/p>\n
Chris stared at the man coming down the stadium steps.<\/p>\n
All the color suddenly drained from his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeo?\u201d<\/p>\n
Behind him was Ray from the hospital, carrying Ethan\u2019s battered plastic tabletop football game beneath one arm.<\/p>\n
A nurse from Ethan\u2019s floor followed, along with Cody and his mother.<\/p>\n
Ethan\u2019s mouth dropped open.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo way.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Chris.<\/p>\n
Whatever he had expected to find when the announcer told us to turn around, this clearly wasn\u2019t it.<\/p>\n
Then Ray lifted the battered tabletop game.<\/p>\n
Ethan started laughing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our 10-year-old son had only one final wish: to watch a real football game with Mom and Dad. We thought the entire trip was simply about giving Ethan one unforgettable day. Then our faces appeared on the stadium\u2019s massive screen, the announcer told us to turn around, and I watched my son quietly hide…<\/p>\n