Wish of a Lifetime granted its 1000th Wish on January 25th, 2015. Around the same time, in partnership with Brookdale older adult living, it was was able to reconnect two high school football rivals who hadn’t seen one another in 64 years—Carl and George—one of whom was the first African American drafted into the NFL.
Carl, age 87, and George, age 88, grew up only a few miles apart in Gary, Indiana. The two star football players never met until they played against each other in the first integrated game for their racially segregated high schools.
A friendship that transcends differences
After suffering a stroke later in life, Carl tracked down his friend George and reconnected with him. They rekindled their relationship, a friendship that overcame the barriers of a segregated society.
The reunion was a wonderful celebration that brought tears to the eyes of just about everybody in attendance. The two men swapped stories, shared laughs, and of course debated about who got the better of whom when they first met on the football field back in Gary, IN. Josh Elliot with the TODAY show was on scene to interview the two and tell their incredible story.
Photos courtesy of Deanna Dent
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