Wish list: Davenport youngster lives sports dream
Christian Fogel’s dream to see professional sports teams play in person and meet the teams has come true in a big way.
The 10-year-old Davenport youth who can play the sports he loves only in his dreams put a request into the Quad-City Times Wish List and received some Christmas magic thanks to the Quad-City Flames, the Quad-City Steamwheelers and WXLP 97X radio icons Greg Dwyer and Bill Michaels.
Fogel’s father, James, said Christian signed a contract with the Steamwheelers and received a football and autographs. Dwyer and Michaels sent the youth to a Chicago Bears football game through their charity work with the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Friday night, Christian got to drop the ceremonial first puck at the hockey game between the Quad-City Flames and the Milwaukee Admirals at the i wireless Center, Moline. He also got a Flames jersey, a ride on a Zamboni and got to meet the Flames after the game and had his jersey autographed.
“This is my first time to a hockey game,” Christian said after dropping the puck.
He said he found out about all he was going to experience a couple of weeks ago from his mom and dad.
“Of course I’m excited,” he said. “Who wouldn’t be?”
Christian was born with a polycystic kidney disease, James Fogel said. As an 8-week-old, he had to undergo major surgery at University Hospitals, Iowa City, to remove his left kidney, which was overrun with tiny cysts.
He had another surgery a little more than a year ago to repair a damaged duct near his missing kidney that was causing bladder infections.
The consequence of having only one kidney is that he cannot play contact sports, such as football, basketball, soccer or hockey.
Despite his setbacks, Christian maintains a high spirit. When he shakes hands, he does it in a man’s fashion looking the person in the eye and initiating a strong grip.
It was that strong grip in Christian’s handshake that caught the attention of Quad-City Flames President Tim Taylor.
“We wanted this to be a special day for him,” Taylor said Friday night before Christian dropped the puck.
“You hate to see people have such tribulations at such a young age,” he said. “We’re going to help him all we can.”
James Fogel said Christian has been “all fired up” about seeing the sports he loves up close and personal and is having the time of his life.
But then, he added, Christian is always upbeat.
“He has a great attitude,” James Fogel said.
Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com.