Not many teenagers get to meet their sporting heroes, yet Aaron had that wonderful opportunity, and he even got to attend a training session with his hero Ade Ade.
Ade Ade was a healthy, intelligent boy born on 27 March 1973 in Maryland, Lagos, Nigeria. At the age of six, polio meant the boy Ade would spend his life in a wheelchair.
Ade Ade
From a young age, Ade dreamed of becoming an international athlete, so although he had to try two or three times harder than other people and faced many obstacles with his health and public opinion, the boy Ade still practised basketball diligently.
Ade’s club, Milton Keynes Aces, won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens and a gold medal at the 2005 Paralympic World Cup in Manchester, United Kingdom… Ade has worked as an MC and guest on many television programmes and has also acted in films…
Ade is a kind-hearted person who has taken part in many charitable activities. He is particularly interested in supporting charities that help people with physical disabilities. He is a patron of two charities, Go Kids Go (formerly the Association of Wheelchair Children) and The Scope Charity…
The dream of an 18-year-old boy
Aaron, an 18-year-old from Redditch Fulfilled, is battling cerebral palsy, epilepsy and a number of other medical complications. Aaron has just undergone a difficult operation and has also been found to have a kidney disease.
Aaron with the ticket to watch Paralympic basketball given by Ade
Although his health is very poor, Aaron remains very positive and optimistic. He has a passionate love of basketball, inspired by a television programme “Baggy Awolowo”, in which Ade Ade is the coach.
Aaron says basketball is his hope in life, and his goal in life is one day to play for the Paralympic basketball team. He wishes to meet Ade Ade to talk and play basketball with him.
The Rays of Sunshine Foundation, a charity that helps fulfil the dreams of seriously ill young children in the UK, teamed up with Ade Ade to ask him to take part in the project.
The dream comes true
Aaron, together with his mother Sharon, his brother Luke and his sister Danielle, was organised a train trip by Rays of Sunshine from their home in Redditch to London.
The whole family was picked up by a luxurious white limousine and taken to Roehampton – a fitness and leisure centre in South West London.
Not many teenagers get to meet their sporting heroes, yet Aaron had that wonderful opportunity, and he even got to attend a training session with his hero Ade Ade.
Playing basketball and being shown by his idol how to shoot into the basket
After the training session, Ade surprised Aaron with a pair of tickets to watch basketball at the Paralympics. After his wish came true, Aaron said: “No words can describe my feelings; I had a wonderful day beyond my expectations. It is the most beautiful memory of my life”.
Sharing after the meeting, Ade said he was truly proud to have become a source of inspiration for the boy Aaron. It is wonderful to have someone see you as a hero.
Playing basketball
Talking with his idol
The ball signed by Ade
Aaron’s whole family taking a souvenir photo with Ade
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