Freeport football player uses his Make-A-Wish to get new team jerseys

FREEPORT — Last year, Freeport Quarterback Garrett King found out he had cancer. After undergoing successful treatment, fast forward one year and he is back on the field leading the Yellowjackets.

Over the winter, King was approached by the Make-A-Wish foundation. At first, the senior didn’t think he needed a wish, but his eventual decision was far more than anything he, or his team, could have dreamed of.

“I just thought that by keeping it a secret it’d just make it that much better,” King said, describing his wish.

It was a hard secret to keep. King teamed up with Make-A-Wish, Nike and his coaches to give the Freeport football team all new uniforms. He even helped design his team’s new digs, adding a few personalized touches.

“Everyone was pretty speechless at first,” said King, laughing when he reminisced on the day he showed his teammates. “No one had any idea what was happening.”

Right before the start of the season, the Yellowjackets took a surprise field trip to Stage AE downtown for the big reveal. There was one more surprise, a very special visitor from the Steelers who the team was overjoyed to meet: quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

“I’m a big Steelers fan. He’s been my quarterback all my life,” said Cole Charlton, senior tight end and defensive end. “I’ve watched him since I was 2, 3 years-old. Finally meeting him in person, seeing him, and not only that but him presenting our jerseys, it was an amazing experience. I can’t stop talking about it.”

King said meeting one of his idols was indescribable.

“I got to shake his hand, and he told me he was proud of me,” King said. “To have a guy like that speak highly of you really meant a lot to me.”

The teenage quarterback could have chosen virtually anything he wanted as his wish. Yet, he chose something with his teammates in mind.

“Giving back to those guys, they did so much for me,” King said. “The community gave so much for me during the whole process, it was the perfect way to give back I thought.”

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Charlton said. “(King)’s the most unselfish kid I’ve ever met in my life, and I’m not just saying that. It just goes to show what type of person he is and what type of leader he is.”

The uniforms have special touches, such as “King Strong” stitched in the collar, and a crown on the front. The team, well, they are pretty big fans of the finished product.

“He got swag you know,” Charlton said with a laugh. “He got style. It obviously shows and everyone on the team loves him.”

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