Warriors surprise special young fans with Christmas gifts at Sunday's game
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Golden State Warriors had some special guests in attendance at Sunday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center.
Several families with young kids who have battled through life-threatening illnesses were lined up as the Warriors players handed them gifts, as they made their way onto the court.
The first gift that Trey Ravon opens is full of Warriors swag, like a T-shirts and a hoodie. But it's the second gift that lights up his smile.
"An iPad!" screams Trey with excitement.
Trey's smile - priceless for his dad Lawrence. Thirteen-year-old Trey is battling a kidney disease.
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"Man, that makes me feel real good to bring him here. It's great!" says Larence.
The kids who are here, are from Family House in San Francisco. The organization helps families with children who are battling cancer or other life-threatening illnesses. They were invited to watch the game as part of the Golden State Warriors' Season of Giving.
"Clove was diagnosed with stage-four neuroblastoma when he was 18 months old. He is five now," explains his mother, Rosemary Nguyen.
She says Clove has been in remission for the past two years. But the past few years have been tough. Her husband was home with their two daughters near Sacramento, while she and her son were in and out of UCSF for months.
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"(It is hard) financially. Hard on mental (health). I want to say that 75 to 80% of couple usually divorce when they have a child in medical (care). This was a very tough situation," she says.
The chance to spend the afternoon at a Warriors game and with some gifts is a big deal for her kids says Nguyen. But so, too, is the fact that her son fought and survived. She says it's the first real Christmas they've had in years.
"I mean this has been an amazing transformation. If you would have saw him a couple of years ago, you'd say this isn't the same kid. He's definitely made a comeback," she says.
Though she is just 9 years old, Clove's big sister Basil is old enough to understand what it means for her brother to be alive.
"I was super happy to come to the Warriors game because I love spending time with my family. And I just really like sports, too," says Basil, adding that it is nice that her brother is able to be with them as well.
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