Hailey Steward got her No. 1 Christmas wish this year: to meet Tom Brady.
The 8-year-old from Bethel, who is battling b-cell leukemia for the second time, got her Christmas wish Friday when Brady, the New England Patriots quarterback, sent Steward a video, which was posted online, inviting her to visit Saturday.
“Hi Hailey, it’s Tom Brady. I heard you had a special Christmas wish this year, and I’ve got one too.” Brady said in the video.
Hailey’s Facebook page, “Hailey’s Journey Our Journey,” was overwhelmed by well wishes and congratulations on getting to meet her idol.
Over 4,000 people have been following Hailey’s journey with leukemia, and by spreading her wish across the Internet, they were able to help grant that wish.
According to Stacey James, vice president of media relations for the Patriots, Steward and her parents, John and Tabitha, were given a tour of Patriot Place, where they met with Brady, taking pictures and getting hugs.
“My little Hailey is so strong, and to see someone like Tom Brady recognize her strength and determination to beat this again is awesome,” John Steward posted on the Hailey’s Journey page. “I want to thank everyone out there that helped make this happen and I mean everyone who shared , posted, tagged or whatever it took.”
Hailey’s father was extremely appreciative of Tom Brady and the Patriots. “He is a true Patriot and all Patriots fans should be proud,” John Steward said.
According to WGME-TV, Steward was able to go home for the holiday weekend but is scheduled to go back to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital on Tuesday.
The Stewards have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the nearly three years of medical costs. You can learn more about the family’s journey at https://www.gofundme.com/haileysteward.
You can stay updated on Hailey’s journey by liking her Facebook page, and you can catch the next Patriots game Sunday, Dec. 27, when they play the New York Jets at 1 p.m.
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