PORTLAND, Maine (WABI/Gray News) – When the New England Patriots take the field for Super Bowl 60, a 15-year-old boy from Maine will be in the stands cheering them on, thanks to Make-A-Wish.
Avery MacNair, 15, has been a Patriots fan for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve always loved football,” Avery said. “I used to play it as a kid, and then, obviously after everything happened, I wasn’t able to play it really as much.”
The teenager has spent the last two years undergoing treatment for leukemia.
“It’s just very important to keep your mind strong and keep your head up,” he said.
Avery MacNair, 15, (center) has been a New England Patriots fan for as long as he can remember. He’ll soon get to see his favorite team play in person at Super Bowl 60, thanks to Make-A-Wish.(Source: Jamie MacNair, WABI via CNN)
Make-A-Wish asked Avery in 2023 what he wanted to do out of anything in the world, and his answer was, of course, go to the Super Bowl. A few setbacks along the way led to a delay in the wish, but it’s now happening.
When Avery found out, it was before the Patriots beat the Denver Broncos to punch their ticket to the big game, which made for a pretty stressful AFC championship game.
“I thought they were going to lose,” Avery said. “During the end, I didn’t think they were going to pull it out, but they did. When Christian Gonzalez got the interception, that was nice.”
Avery will be attending the game, the first time he’ll see the Patriots play in person, after a week full of activities in California with his brother, Skylar. It’s a trip the two will never forget.
“These kids have had their childhoods taken away from them, really tough circumstances. So, to be able to bring the joy of childhood back to them and have these last memories is just an incredible thing,” said Brian Franks, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Maine.
Avery is looking forward to seeing his favorite player, Drake Maye, compete, and he’s predicting a close game with the Patriots as the ultimate winners.
“Probably be a defensive game, so 17-23, probably, hopefully, the Pats,” he said.
He’s also making a gutsy call.
“Kayshon Boutte is probably going to have a 40-yard reception for a touchdown,” Avery said.
So, remember who called it first when that comes on Super Bowl Sunday as the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks.
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