Preston Winslow, a 4-year-old boy with acute myeloid leukemia, received the gift of a lifetime last week when Tim Tebow invited him to play some ball, The Blaze reports.
Preston, who lives in Durham, N.C., has battled acute myeloid leukemia since early 2010. Knowing of Preston's love for Tebow, friends of the Winslow family contacted the football star's agent and team, hoping for a chance to connect him with Preston.
Preston finally met with the NFL quarterback at his training facility in Tampa, Fla., after Tebow made several calls inviting the boy and his family.
Celeste Winslow, Preston's mother, said the first call from the Denver Broncos star came as a complete surprise, the Daily Mail reports.
"I answer it and I'm like, 'Hello?', and the person on the other end was like, 'Hi Celeste, this is Tim Tebow,' and in shock, I was like 'No way'," she told WTVD.
The call was an unexpected spot of sunshine during an otherwise difficult time for the Winslow family. Despite a costly bone marrow transplant in June 2011, Preston's cancer returned a few months ago.
“After two rounds of chemo, we have been told that treatment has not worked and Preston will not be able to move forward with a second transplant,” his parents posted on Preston's League, a website that is updated with news of Preston's progress.
Accepting that the doctors could do no more for Preston, the family made the decision to enjoy the time they have left as best they can.
"We've decided not to ruin the time we have left by being down," Preston's father, James Winslow, told Tampa Bay Times.
Preston definitely looked like he was having fun over the weekend when, dressed in a Broncos Tebow jersey, he took to the field with his football idol.
"It amazes me at how much energy he had out there playing and running around. He didn't even want to stop," said his mother.
According to WPTV, Tebow high-fived Preston as they passed the ball back and forth and said, "That was so good buddy. Good job!"
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