A teen whose dying wish was to meet LeBron James and shake his hand, turned his dreams into reality on Christmas Day.
Corey Groves, 17, was diagnosed with stage four sarcoma cancer and was told he only has a year to live.
"Before getting sick, I would eat, sleep basketball,” the Brampton teen told the Toronto Sun earlier this month. "Chances are [being in L.A. for the Christmas Day game] will be my last holiday ever. I’m hoping to spread the word and maybe get Lebron’s attention so I can shake my hero’s hand."
Groves made the trip to Los Angeles for Wednesday's game, and even though it wasn't a sure bet that LeBron was going to be able to play in the game due to a groin injury, Groves was able to meet the superstar during the team's walkthrough.
Groves, who has amassed a sizable following on Instagram, posted a photo of the meeting to his page. "Merry Christmas," he wrote in the caption. "I got my wish. So thankful to everyone that helped make this happen."
Groves' mother and younger brother also made the trip from Canada to Los Angeles for the game.
And like most of us, Groves is also impressed with James' off-court exploits. "LeBron James just does so many good things off and on the court. Recently he fed tacos to the first responders – no one is asking him to do that but he goes ahead and does it anyways," Groves told CTV News Toronto. "Some athletes are there for the money but he really cares about this job."
