13-year old Julian Kinard, a Damascus High School (Montgomery County, MD) quarterback awaits a signature on his football from Ben during the week of the 2012 Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
On New Years Eve, 2009. "flu-like symptoms" with a high fever suddenly turned into organ failure, life support and eventually a medically-induced coma for Julian. He was diagnosed with HLH (Hemophagocytic LymphoHistiocytosis), a rare blood disorder. In time, Julian, full of determination, "beat the odds" learning how to walk, talk and eat again. The one thing that kept him going was football!
"One of the first things he said before he could even walk again was, 'I'm going to play football and I don't care what anybody says'", he told his mother, Lorena Mauney.
He has been in remission since 2010, but is in need of a bone marrow transplant. He is on the registry for a donor.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation sent him to the 2012 Pro Bowl in Hawaii.
You can watch video of his story with FOX Channel 5 in Washington, DC: