Make-A-Wish sends Seal Beach teenager to Super Bowl LIX
Seal Beach resident Carson Fox is now not only cancer-free, but he finds himself in a very enviable position this weekend.
Fox, a passionate football fan, is headed to the big game on Sunday.
Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire has granted his wish of heading to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
Eighteen other 'wish kids' from around the country will also be at the Super Bowl via Make-A-Wish. Fox and his father, mother and brother got into town on Wednesday.
'It's a dream come true to be here, for sure,' Fox, 19, said in a phone interview Friday. 'It's cool not only for me, but just for my whole family. We all kind of went through it together, so to be all here together and celebrate as a family is awesome.'
After breaking his ankle as a freshman at Los Alamitos High, Fox found out that he had a rare form of cancer called telangiectatic osteosarcoma. A cancerous tumor forced the amputation of his left leg above the knee in 2021.
Following rounds of chemotherapy and physical therapy, he returned to the track with a running blade as a sprinter and thrower for the Griffins, and he was a long-snapper in football.
Fox is now a freshman at the University of Alabama, where he competes on the para track and field team.
He said he's rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, as they try to thwart the Kansas City Chiefs' hopes of a historic 'three-peat.' Still, he isn't really a big fan of either team.
'I'm a Texans fan back home, but it's really 'Roll Tide,'' he said. 'I'm an Alabama fan.'
Fox's experience in New Orleans so far has included a behind the scenes tour of Caesars Superdome, where the game will be played, and VIP access at NFL Honors.
He said he's already met NFL players like Detroit Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Friday's activities included the Super Bowl Experience, and Fox and his family will attend the first-ever Super Bowl Host Committee Parade in the French Quarter on Saturday.
Make-A-Wish's official sports partner, Fanatics, has provided wish kids with swag and sponsored pre-event activities.
'Football has been a constant source of joy and strength for Carson, and we are so proud to make his Super Bowl wish come true,' said Anne Grey, president and chief executive of Make-A-Wish Orange County and the Inland Empire, in a statement. 'For Carson, we hope that the trip provides him with the strength and inspiration needed to face whatever challenges come his way.'
Fox called it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so far, and he hasn't even made it to game time yet.
'I think the energy will be crazy, for sure,' he said. 'I don't know what to expect. I've never been to a game this big, so we'll see.'
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