Dream come true for seriously-ill Northampton teenager after video call with football hero

A severely disabled teenager from Northampton had his wish come true when he got to chat with one of the players from his beloved football club.

Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity teamed up with Aston Villa FC to organise a video call between midfielder John McGinn and Jacob Mander.

The 16-year-old has been shielding for the past nine weeks as he has spinal muscular atrophy, a degenerative condition that causes muscle weakness, and said the Zoom call has made all the difference.

"It was such an amazing opportunity to talk to John on the video call. He was so down to earth and friendly, and it is something I will remember forever," he said.

"Thank you so much to everyone who was involved in making this happen. It really made me feel happy in such a scary time.

"I cannot wait for a time when I will be able to go and watch the team play again - win or lose. Up the Villa!”

During the call Jacob asked John lots of questions about his life in the Aston Villa squad and the current suspension of the Premier League.

His questions included what would John do if he was not a football player and how did he feel about scoring the winning goal in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium last year?

John said: “It was a pleasure speaking with Jacob and his family and it was great to be able to spread a bit of happiness during this time of lockdown.

"We’re all looking forward to seeing Jacob and his family at Villa Park again at some point in the future.”

Rays of Sunshine was formed in 2003 to brighten the lives of seriously-ill young people and their families across the UK by granting wishes and providing ongoing support in hospital.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the charity is committed to bringing joy and hope to children and their families when they need it the most, both in hospital and at home.

Chief executive Laura Barnett said: “We are so grateful to Aston Villa and John McGinn for making Jacob’s wish come true.

"During these challenging times, it is more important than ever to bring some joy and hope to children living with serious and life-limiting illnesses while they spend so many weeks shielding at home.

"It’s clear to see from the huge smile on Jacob’s face just how much this meant to him, so thank you John.”