A sweet University of Iowa football tradition became even more awe-inspiring when a former children’s hospital patient who was honored by the team became a Hawkeye himself more than a decade later.
At the end of the first quarter of each game, 75,000 football fans stand and wave to the patients at Stead Family Children’s Hospital, an “emotional moment that never fails,” Today reported.
Before every game, one patient is chosen to be Kid Captain, and is given the opportunity to have some fun on the field and be cheered by thousands of supporters.
In 2009, Kelby Telander served as a Kid Captain for a game, after struggling with hearing loss and undergoing surgery at the hospital for a cochlear implant to regain the use of his ears.
“That little kid, that Kid Captain, grew up to be quite a high school multi-sport athlete. Some big colleges came calling until a freak accident his senior year,” the outlet reported.
“I ended up getting six of my eight tendons repaired. And on top of that, I hit one of my nerves, so I couldn’t feel half my hand,” Telander said.
Only Iowa left the door open just a “crack” for the injured player, letting him walk on the team.
“He was a really good athlete, tremendous young guy, a good student,” said Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz. “So our attitude was ‘let’s give it a chance, and let’s give it a try. See where it all goes.’”
Telander eventually got some playing time this fall, and even got to meet a new Kid Captain — a 6-year-old with cochlear implants.
“I was telling him and the parents, ‘be indifferent,’” Telander recalled. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, that makes you more cool or more exciting. Being normal is boring.”