Weeks ago our wonderful wish granters Julie and Amanda (mother and daughter) got us going with the exciting news that our wish was indeed granted and we had an appointment with the outstanding team at Brooks Brothers, specifically Natasha and Tristan who would lay out the red carpet and outfit Daniel in a beautiful Broncoesque themed suit for announcing the pick. We aren’t just talking pants and a jacket people, I mean the whole shebang. Belt, shoes, shirt, broncos bow tie which was a HUGE hit (okay it had sail boats, but no matter, it looked great). The bow tie actually got it’s own comments on social media the night of the draft. He had royal treatment and it really got the ball rolling with all the grand expectations of the wish. As far as details going forward though everything else was very hush hush until very close to the big day. We didn’t even find out hotel until a day or two before we left but knew all along we would be well taken care of.
Another treat that had Daniel through the roof came from an old friend of mine from my school days. Stephen Granovsky has been following our story for a very long time and before knowing what Make-A-Wish had arranged had himself graciously organized a gift of his own for Daniel to show his support. Stephen owns a wonderful suit company (that also works with Make-A-Wish in Canada) and offered to make Daniel a custom suit for the draft. This came about before we knew about the one here. Stephen more than graciously sent us to have Daniel pampered and treated like most men who will never get to have this experience in their lifetime. This team of men (Brooks in particular) from Homer Reed here in Greenwood Village got to the task of making Daniel a custom tailored suit from a swatch of material that Daniel chose on his own. Zero guidance from mom on this one. You have never seen pride and a smile on a face like this. Well a few fittings later and talk about looking like a million bucks. This suit will last him a lifetime. More to come later on this.
The day before leaving Julie and Amanda showed up at our door with footballs and Bronco balloons and a whole table of football themed goodies and our itinerary. I didn’t think Daniel would sleep that night, the excitement was mounting. First thing the next day the limo, decorated with Bronco treats inside and we were sent off in style. Thank you Presidential Limo and Southwest Airlines.
Arriving in Chicago was NFL DRAFT craziness and there was a lovely MAW greeter there to welcome us and help us to our Windy City Limo. Whisked off like someone important to the beautiful Intercontinental Hotel on the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Avenue we were ready to begin our adventure…with a nap.
I had MAW make dinner reservations at the only place I knew of in Chicago I wanted to go, RPM Italian (I heard of it from an E! Network show which I used to love). Well boy did I pick right. Jackpot!!! We are seated and getting comfortable when the owner/manager (Anthony Gagliano) came over and started talking to us. He understands we are here from MAW and wants to know a little more about Daniel. When we tell him about Daniel’s wish and love of football he talks about his love of The Chicago Bears , Daniel excused him for that. He then told us about his sister restaurant 2 blocks away that was closed tonight RPM Steakhouse that was closed for a private party exlusive only for the NFL Draftees Pre Draft party but would we be interested in going when we are finished with our dinner. Um, What? Did we hear you right? Seriously? The question is, can we possibly eat now? Yes, the answer is most definitely yes. So we try our best to order and then right in from of us sits Steve Mariucci and Melissa Stark. Mariucci is one of Daniel’s favorite analysts/reporters from NFL Network. I personally think Rob was initially more excited and kind of got loud and right away almost yelled at Daniel to go over to him. I think Daniel felt shocked at first seeing a celebrity of this magnitude in his eyes so close and needed a minute to digest it but instead composed himself quickly and went right over and introduced himself. Within minutes they were sitting together in the booth talking. I was right there and let me tell you there was an instant connection between these two like I have never seen. This gentle man took a liking to Daniel right away. There was a few minutes of talking about the MAW but in minutes they were talking draft prospects. I tried to get them to wrap it up as to not impose but I kid you not the man from the NFL analyst’s round table kept my 16 year old boy at that table talking. Who was I to interupt. They made a point of touching base at the Draft tomorrow like colleagues would. I tried not to giggle.
After a fabulous dinner we went walking in a cold, wet, windy night over to this private NFL invite only party. Picture this a hip happening club filled with extremely large football players and either their mammas, wives or (clear throat) lady friends, dressed to the Super Fly nines and in walk these 4 little pastey white people that look so out of place you can’t even imagine. Anthony warmly showed us around his beautiful restaurant and then takes us upstairs to the private area where there are even more security bouncers looking us over. My guess is they couldn’t imagine who the heck WE WERE. Anyway as we look down on the crowd I notice that there was an area set up where they were taking professional photos of every player for their draft trading card. I was taking it all in and started chatting with a nice girl behind a bar and told her what we were doing there. Obviously, so out of place and out on a limb I said, hey Daniel is an important part of the draft, can he get his picture taken too? She said OF COURSE he should, come on. And so Daniel got his official NFL picture. Can you believe it? We party crashed and got pictures to prove it. We went downstairs and ended up doing some mingling and Daniel had a nice conversation with President of the NFL Players Association. Eric Winston, He seemed like a very pleasant (HUGE) young man. And I admittedly flirted my way into a couple agent and financial manager conversations scoring some contacts and meet and greets. It is all about schmoozing and we were given the opportunity so no reason to not take it right. This is what all these young men were there doing so I was there to act on behalf of my young client, I mean son Daniel Hailpern. I bet when they saw my kid walk out on that stage the next night they said “Hey that is the kid we met at the party last night” and they looked like the rockstars. Let me tell you we left there pretty excited about what was to come in the next few days considering this night was not even expected. You just never know what can happen.
Kind of a lazy day of lunch and wandering around and as the weather got colder and we realized we did not have warm enough clothes we decided to go have an indoor afternoon to rest up. Although it was kind of a waste of a vacation day in a city we had never been too, Daniel was growing more and more anxious and it was manifesting itself in an almost superstition that something random like a piano was going to fall from the sky and land on him. Like there was a target on him that would stop him from getting to his destiny that night, so I decided to make the call and call it a day and suggest a nap AGAIN for the boys. Before long it would be time to meet our MAW coordinator who was a saint for dealing with all of our crap and questions Shaina Reeser who came all the way from the National office to chaperone us on our wish. Might I add the hotel was beautiful but four of us in one bathroom was a bit challenging to say the least. We managed and as I was getting my final things together, Daniel was on his third, or was it eighth attempt at watching his bow tie video with no success. Rob rushed him downstairs to the concierge who had the skills to fix him up right and we were ready to go. He came upstairs and looked in the mirror. Gave his hair a final check and really thought it was the best his hair had ever looked. He was very pleased with his suit and whole look. This was going to be the night of his life. Unfortunately the city streets and road closures had different plans for our grand entrance and instead, just like in the movies when you can’t get to where you are going in time because of traffic you get out of the limo and run. Except that was not exaaaaaccctly how it looked in reality. Hair was not flowing skin was not glistening. In our reality I was whining as my hair was going flat in the rain and I was hobbiling in my new 6 inch heels and light coat in freezing weather. Two blocks later my feet were literally bleeding and we had about 6 more blocks to go. I was a mess and holding up the group. I felt terrible but was trying my best. This was not how I imagined it. We had already missed the red carpet completely and now I was afraid we would miss the beginning of the actual draft. Arg. I tried my very best to grin and bear it and we finally got there. Problems at the security. Grin and bear it. This is HIS BIG NIGHT. It is going to be great. They showed us to our seats. NO time for food. That is okay. I am way too nervous for food and I am sure Daniel is too excited. We get up to our seats and before I recognize how great they are I sit to put on bandaids. Then I take it all in. Yes we are way over dressed but it is for a reason and people are looking at us but it will all make sense to them later. It is explained that they will come get Daniel around round 25 for round 31 and explain everything then. Daniel has decided to go back and go it alone. I am heartbroken, but also okay with it. It is his statement that it is his moment and he wants to take it all in on his own (Shaina will be escorting him though). It only takes me seconds to realize I want to be in the audience watching him, like I have been all along. The anticipation was growing and as the draft got underway and Roger Goodell walked out on stage I could see how excited Daniel was. He said he couldn’t believe this was really happening. The seats the NFL got us were awesome. Every player that was drafted had to pass by us and Daniel shook every hand. He will make a video montage. My purell was working overtime. Before long (okay that is a lie, it was like three hours) round 24 comes around and we are waiting anxiously. The NFL lady comes to get him and barely a goodbye and good luck and he is off. I am having separation anxiety myself wondering what is going on and in two minutes we hear Broncos traded up and are up next. OMG how exciting he must be rushing around like mad. Then the pick is in and it is his time. In a few minutes he will be walking out with an idol of his. This wish he has been waiting for and working for almost 18 months. Later I find out Steve Mariucci has announced him walking out of the tunnel as this great kid he had dinner with last night that now makes me laugh, but as I look up and hear the standard boos for Roger Goodell start I see my son, walking out with an envelope in his hand and looking this other man in the face so comfortably having a conversation and just almost chatting with a gleeful smile on his face. So comfortable. Like millions aren’t watching. I later come to find out he welcomed the boos as part of the ‘full experience’ and Roger Goddell thought that was great. He walked out of that lit tunnel and my excitement turned to raw emotion and tears and then they flowed as I realized the magnitude of the moment. The strength it took to get there. The work, the time, the loss, the suffering , the courage, the bravery, the triumph, all of it and none of it was lost in that moment when Roger Goodell told my Daniel to take a bow and he got a standing ovation. Daniel shook his hand and waved to the crowd and waved to us specifically and just smiled and took in the crowds praise. My boy just had his dream realized.
We talked about it later and he didn’t see it like I saw it and that is okay. Maybe he will look back at it differently some day from a bigger picture. Like I did. He handled it like a pro. A champ and I was told by many it was one of the highlights of the draft. It ended shortly after and he told us all about everything with his conversations with the Commissioner and I got so many texts and messages it was crazy. None as sweet as the very first one to come in immediately from Beth Bowlen herself. How special is that. I was so touched by the personal message for Daniel. We then had a chance to pop over to the NFLdesk and get some autographs form the analyst table and this is where Daniel was awestruck. Maybe even more than by players for these are who he aspires to. And there was Steve Mariucci again who was all welcoming to Daniel and they chatted and exchanged numbers. Later when we went to dinner they were texting back and forth. I foresee these two doing some work together again. As we left the Auditorium theater more than a few people for several blocks had recognized Daniel already from t.v. Not only did they congratulate him on doing such an outstanding job on stage but wished him only the best on his life ahead. One man was obviously down on his luck and double handedly shook Daniel’s hand blessing him with only good things and still another group hollered that he nailed it tonight. He was beaming, as were we all. Very late night celebration dinner at hotel and off to bed.
Next day was a bit of a mess, due to confusion, bad weather and a variety of mistimings in the world of sports and communications, we all had to keep reminding ourselves of the reason we were on this trip. The reason was to celebrate Daniel and this trip was about him and what he wanted from the trip. Many months ago Daniel did a piece on NFLNow with the Sklar Brothers and we met David Nickoll, the kindest most generous guy. He is a producer at NFLNow.com that wanted to do another piece with Daniel while we were at the draft and he was also out there working. He was gracious enough to devote a great portion of his evening to us and we are so extremely glad he did because he lined up a segment where Daniel got to do a piece with his all time favorite commentator Dave Dameshek. Daniel knew this was the plan and nothing was going to sway him from his plan to meet this guy from the ‘shek report’ Daniel put on suit number two and his face lit up like the Chysler building, no wait is that in Chicago??? Anyway he was so happy with how he looked he didn’t care how cold out it was he was not going to wear a coat over top. We spent the night waiting A LOT but in the meantime met many great media people that will hopefully benefit Daniel oneday. It was obvious he is making an impression and this suit was certainly helping. Every person he met shook his hand and said ‘great suit’. At the end of the night we finally met with Dave Dameshek and what a great guy. He was kind, funny and exactly what Daniel had been waiting for. He said it was so worth the wait, and that was all I had to hear. I watched him in action as he stood in the freezing cold refusing a coat as his teeth chattered and when the camera rolled, he was a pro. Where does he get this from? It turned out to be a fantastic night of opportunities for him. He handed out several cards and I look forward to what comes from it.
Saturday was so cold and rainy and although I was dreading it, we were here for the draft and the ‘whole experience’ and that meant braving the elements and heading back out. This time it was all out doors to Draft Town and Selection Square. It was so cold but at least it was covered. The boys couldn’t feel their hands of legs but we persevered through a few rounds just to ‘experience’ it. Let me tell you football fans are crazy, that is all I have to say. We changed and went to a lovely dinner at Gibsons steakhouse that gave us a complimentary dessert aptly called “The Meaning of Life Cake”. Well I couldn’t have summarized a weekend any better than health, family, and making memories.
Make-a Wish says:
A wish come true helps children feel stronger, more energetic, more willing and able to battle their life-threatening medical conditions. For many, the wish marks a turning point in the fight against their illnesses. Doctors, nurses and other health professionals say, the wish experience works in concert with medicine to make their patients feel better emotionally and even physically. That is why wishes matter.
Without a doubt from start to end this has been true for Daniel and we cannot thank Make-A-Wish
enough for the inspiration they gave Daniel throughout his journey and the gift they gave him with his
wish come true. Jennifer Mace-Walton you have been patient beyond measure with us. Thank you.