If you watched the San Jose Sharks face off against the Florida Panthers last night, you might have noticed a new player donning a Sharks jersey in pregame warmups. That player was Sam Tageson, an 18-year old born with a heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
The defect is life-threatening and means Tageson may have to receive a heart transplant at some point in his life. As a lifelong hockey fan, Sam’s dream was to suit up for the Sharks. On Tuesday, the culmination of work between the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the San Jose Sharks Foundation made Sam’s dream come true.
Sam signed a one-day contract with San Jose and spent the full day experiencing life as a Sharks player. He hung out and practiced with the team, got his own jersey and locker, and even got to skate out of the tunnel and join his teammates on the blue line before the game.
When the arena recognized Sam on the jumbotron, that’s when things got extremely emotion – not only for Sam, but for Sharks players and fans as well. It was an incredible moment for a kid who deserves it, so props to the Sharks and the Make-A-Wish foundation for making a dream come true and letting us all share it, too.
About Pete Blackburn