Southern Ohio Wishes

Fifteen-year-old Zach lives in a small town in southeastern Kentucky, but his heart is firmly planted in a football field in Pittsburgh. An avid Steelers fan, Zach is also a perpetual optimist – “Everything happens for a reason,” he told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Colin Dunlap.

Even leukemia, he believes. Doctors diagnosed his condition in August 2009, after Zach – not even old enough to have a driver’s license – experienced a heart attack. Eight months later, after countless medical procedures and rounds of chemotherapy, Zach went to New York City to have his deepest wish granted: announcing the first-round NFL draft pick for his beloved Steelers.

Wearing a brand-new suit and, of course, a gold tie in tribute to his favorite team, Zach arrived at Radio City Music Hall for the 2010 NFL Draft. While waiting for his big moment, he hung out backstage with first-round picks Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, Trent Williams, Eric Berry and Dan Williams. He also had the opportunity to meet and chat with Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner.

When the time came, Zach approached the podium without a trace of nerves and announced, “With the 18th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Maurkice Pouncey, center, Florida.”

Zach could have wished to meet a favorite player or go to a game, but he wanted his wish to be something no one else had done before. “I wasn't nervous,” he said after announcing the draft pick. “I mean, I've been through a lot already in my life."

His confidence, no doubt, stems from his unflinching optimism in the face of so much adversity. During the initial stages of chemotherapy, Zach wasn’t afraid. "It has all been tough," he told Dunlap. "But I've always kept positive."

In Zach’s mind, good can come from everything – even leukemia. “My wish was, probably, the best day of my life so far,” he explained to Dunlap. “I think about it – if I hadn’t been sick, I wouldn’t have been given this opportunity. I wouldn’t have been able to go to the draft. So, like I said, everything happens for a reason.”

With optimism like that, the Steelers are lucky to have such a solid fan on their side.