Make-A-Wish East TN, Tusculum University surprise local boy with courtside seat & meet-and-greet
TUSCULUM, Tenn. (WJHL) — On Wednesday, athletic leaders with Tusculum University surprised a local boy thanks to help from Make-A-Wish East Tennessee.
10-year-old Brody McInturff has spina bifida and has had numerous surgeries since birth. His biggest wish is to meet the Kansas City Chiefs, and while he’s awaiting that wish, his family and the local Make-A-Wish foundation treated him to a hangout with Tusculum’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.
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“It’s a really cool experience,” Brody said.
One year ago, Brody’s parents reached out to Make-A-Wish with his request to meet the Chiefs. In the meantime, Tusculum proposed hosting a meet and greet with student-athletes for Brody. His parents surprised him with the news on Wednesday.
Brody got to meet both women’s and men’s basketball players, coaches and staff. He got a signed basketball, presented the game ball for the men’s game and was even a part of the team’s huddles.
Brody’s dad, Daniel McInturff, said he’s appreciative to Tusculum University for allowing his son the opportunity.
“We were very surprised and we’re very appreciative of the opportunity for him to get to come down here and experience this,” he said. “There’s not many times that a kid at ten years old who enjoys basketball gets to come and participate in a college basketball game and be right in the middle of it, on the bench, and get to do everything that he’s got to do tonight.”
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Brody also plays basketball, himself. He’s on a wheelchair team in Greenville, South Carolina and he and his family travel there from Elizabethton during basketball season.
“It’s really nice,” Brody said. “Like I’m glad they have an accessible sport that I can play, and really my inspiration is Michael Jordan.”
The wheelchair team, Roger C. Peace Rollin’ Tigers, actually won their national championship last year. Brody unfortunately had to miss the game due to surgery.
McInturff said he hopes his son Brody is an inspiration to others like him.
“You can’t let a chair or your situation define who you are,” he said. “And you’ve got to be willing to just take one step forward, and move along and enjoy life, and get to do like anybody else. That doesn’t define you.”
Brody will travel to Birmingham, Alabama this weekend to play in a championship with his wheelchair team.
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