Tuesday, 12/01/2009

BATON ROUGE--Several sports banded together on Monday along with Dreams Come True of Louisiana to fulfill one boy’s dream to spend a day with the Tigers.

 

Diagnosed with kidney cancer, terminally-ill three-year old James Vidrine and his family first visited the Mike the Tiger’s habitat, where senior football running back Charles Scott and quarterback Russell Shepard met with Vidrine to toss the football.

 

The LSU cheerleaders and Mayor-President Kip Holden met Vidrine at the tiger habitat as well. The group spent time playing with Vidrine and talking to him as they got a close-up view of LSU’s mascot when Mike ambled to the fence. 

 

“Being able to be here with James makes you appreciate every moment in life,” Scott said. “I have nieces and nephews myself, and I can’t help but think about them and how I would feel in that situation. It shows you not to take anything for granted.”

 

From the tiger habitat, the Vidrine family moved on to tour LSU’s football operations facility.  They visited the indoor football field, and Vidrine - holding the hands of both of his parents - jumped into the end zone for his first “touchdown.”

 

The day concluded for the family at the New Alex Box Stadium with a tour of the facility and a visit with baseball head coach Paul Maineri.

 

Dreams Come True helps grant dreams to children with life-threatening illnesses. Established in 1983, the organization seeks to provide happiness, support and encouragement to the children and their families as they struggle to endure and cope with the hardships that life-threatening illnesses bring.