Anaheim Ducks super fan with rare disease surprised with box seats
Sometimes he's critical but most times Jason Fox is all-in for his favorite team in the world.
"I like the Anaheim Ducks, because their team is cool," he said while lying in his bed.
He's never worn skates or even been on the ice, but that doesn't matter.
"I am happy with who I am," Jason said.
When he was in first grade, Jason's Mother Renee got a call from his teacher saying something was wrong.
"He was running around the track and kept falling," Renee recalled.
A test showed he had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare disease resulting in total muscle loss. Doctors said he'd be lucky to see his 18th birthday.
"I just said to myself, 'I'm going to move a mountain for him. I'm going to do whatever it takes,'" Renee said.
As his condition worsened, the family adjusted to prioritize Jason's happiness. They switched to homeschooling and got him a big screen TV to play games — until he could no longer move his hands.
About a year ago, UC Irvine's Dr. Erin Gregg-Newman says she noticed something about his video visits.
"He always had something from the Ducks on him," the physician said.
Knowing the hospital's connection with the team, Gregg-Newman worked her hardest to get Jason to a game. On Wednesday, Jason's big day finally came. After arranging a special medical transport, the hospital and the ducks worked together to open a private box for Jason and his family, many of whom flew in from Hawaii.
Surrounded by his family and team of physicians, this was Jason's dream come true just days after his 24th birthday.
"We have all the medicine, all the treatments but those are just names and conditions in somebody's chart and what matters is everything else," Gregg-Newman said.
The Mighty Ducks ended up beating the San Jose Sharks, 3-2 in overtime.
