BOSTON – It was a Christmas dream come true for one younger basketball fan, due to the Boston Celtics and Make-A-Want. 

Delivered recreation ball

Ikenna Okere, 13, was identified with acute lymphoblastic leukemia again in December of 2023. Final Christmas was a troublesome one. Okere spent the vacation within the hospital in immense ache. 

This yr was a distinct expertise, together with his want coming true. Okere bought to expertise a Boston Celtics recreation like by no means earlier than. The Celtics superfan bought to ship the sport ball and watch the showdown towards the Philadelphia 76ers from courtside seats. 

Okere even bought the prospect to satisfy his favourite participant, Jayson Tatum, who stopped by to signal his jersey. 

“We got here to the stadium, I met Jayson Tatum. Assembly Jayson Tatum and being courtside, that was unbelievable,” stated Okere. “I by no means thought that might occur, but it surely did.”

Spent final Christmas in hospital

For Okere’s mother, Ruth Okere, watching her son on at the present time was an emotional expertise. She stated there have been factors the place they didn’t know if this Christmas would ever be attainable. 

“Coming from final yr the place we had been final Christmas, we had been within the hospital, we did not know, he was in a lot ache, it was a distinct story,” stated Ruth Okere. “After which it is similar to flipping the coin and right here we’re.”

The household additionally bought to satisfy Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell on courtroom earlier than the sport. 

Okere loves basketball. He performs at any time when he has the vitality to, however has been doing much more watching these days because of his ongoing remedy. However he stated this yr was a Christmas he’ll always remember.