For many, playing with professionals at Rio Tinto Stadium would be a soccer fans dream.
Sixteen-year-old Brian Rands from Skyline High School is counted among those. A passionate soccer fan, Real Salt Lake and the world’s game have had a profound impact on his life and he got to experience that dream on Thursday morning when he was invited to join Real Salt Lake’s Abdoulie Mansally, Jordan Allen, Fito Ovalle, Phanuel Kavita and Luis Silva for a kickaround at the stadium.
“This is a really cool experience. I never really thought that this would be possible for me,” Rands said before he took the field.
Rands donned a personalized jersey and had his own locker set up at Rio Tinto Stadium, where he met with Owner Dell Loy Hansen as well as General Manager Craig Waibel before they took him out to the field for part of his experience with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when he was six months old, Rands has spent his life taking pancreatic enzymes with every meal to help him digest food and wearing a special vest to help clear mucus from his lungs and airways.
Last summer, he went to the hospital to get a clean-out, something that has become all-too-routine through the years. That’s when he was told he would be eligible for Make-A-Wish.
After his treatment, he was on blood-thinners for 12 weeks, which meant he couldn’t take part in one of his favorite activities – playing soccer. For someone who fights the daily battles that he fights, soccer is an escape, but also a healthy one, allowing him to get exercise and also help clear the mucus from his lungs.
So when he got to take penalties toward the south goal and kick the ball around with players from his favorite MLS club, the smile couldn’t be stricken from his face.
“It’s a really cool experience to be able to go through this,” Rands said. “I just want to thank the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Real and the Corporate Alliance for doing all this for me and making it all possible for me.”
For as rewarding as the experience was for Rands, it was equally impactful and humbling for the players involved.
“It was crazy to be in the role of being a part of something that means so much to someone,” Allen said after a long one-on-one conversation with Rands. “I think sometimes you forget when you’re in this role of a professional athlete how far you’ve come and the effect it has on people, so to be able to see it up close means a lot, for sure.”
Rands ultimately will go to England to meet with Manchester City, but his experience Thursday at Rio Tinto Stadium served as the precursor to his wish through the foundation.
“This today is really amazing. It’s about setting the stage for his wish. He’s a big Real soccer fan and it keeps his wish alive,” said Make-A-Wish Utah CEO Jared Perry. “There are some great, amazing positives that come out of it.”
For more information on the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Utah chapter, visit utah.wish.org.
