PITTSBURGH —Eight-year-old Matthew Jacko says he wants all kids to smile. On Thursday, it was his turn.
PHOTOS: SIDNEY CROSBY FULFILLS YOUNG PENS FAN’S DREAM
Eighteen months after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, 8-year-old Matthew Jacko was in the Penguins locker room talking to his favorite player, captain Sidney Crosby.
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Matthew Jacko
Matthew Jacko, 8, wants every child at Children’s Hospital to have a toy stuffed monkey that he hopes to hand-deliver.
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SIDNEY CROSBY FULFILLS YOUNG BOY’S DREAM
Matthew Jacko says he wants all kids to smile. On Thursday, it was his turn, when he got to meet his favorite hockey player inside the Penguins’ locker room.
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Eighteen months after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, there he was in the Penguins locker room talking to his favorite player, captain Sidney Crosby. (Photos: Matthew Jacko meets Sidney Crosby)
Wearing a Crosby T-shirt and accompanied by his parents, Matthew and his family toured the locker room and got to take in practice at Consol Energy Center. The night before, they watched as the team’s guests as the Penguins defeated the Bruins 3-2.
The Penguins found out about Matthew after a story by Channel 4 Action News’ Kelly Brennan aired last week. During the interview, Matthew wore a Penguins T-shirt and said Crosby was his favorite player.
It was 18 months ago when Matthew’s parents noticed he wasn’t running like he used to at his baseball game and he started to slur his speech. Within 12 hours of his arrival at Children’s Hospital, he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
VIDEO: Hockey hero scores smiles during Monroeville boy’s visit to Penguins locker rooms
Even though he’s been at home in Monroeville on hospice care, that hasn’t stopped him from helping other children.
He wants every child at Children’s Hospital to smile, like he does, when he holds his stuffed monkey toy, so he started a drive for people to sponsor a monkey toy. The proceeds will go to Matthew’s family to help with household expenses so his parents can stay home to spend Matthew’s remaining days with him. Matthew plans to hand-deliver the toys to the children.
Family friend Lisa Donnelly has set up the account online. For information, visit: http://fundly.com/grant-a-wish-by-finding-marble-friends.
Source: http://www.wtae.com/news/local/allegheny/hockey-hero-scores-smiles-during-monroeville-boys-visit-to-penguins-locker-room/-/10927008/22736106/-/59r3l8z/-/index.html#ixzz2kM2mFssT
