Standing 6-foot-5, the basketball court is where Antonio always felt most at home. Just three days after the Hudson Catholic Regional High School student finished his first season with the Hawks, Antonio experienced a severe headache and was taken to the emergency room. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball and started to bleed out. Antonio underwent surgery to remove the tumor and about a month later, he began to experience headaches again. Sadly, his tumor had returned. The tumor affected both Antonio’s speech and movement on the right side of his body. But it didn’t affect his resilient spirit.
Antonio had long set his sights on attending Duke University and put his heart into every game he played with the goal of earning a spot on their esteemed men’s basketball team. So when presented the opportunity to have his fondest wish granted, he wanted to see the Blue Devils in action, facing their rivals, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
Thank you to Duke University, Debbie Savarino, Duke Men's Basketball, Coach K and our friends at Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina for helping us make Antonio’s wish come true. 🏀
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Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Wishes have proven physical and emotional benefits that can give children with critical illnesses a higher chance of survival. And wishes not only help these children - they also have far-reaching, positive impacts on their families and communities.
For more information, visit nj.wish.org.
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