From an early age, he was on the field with brothers, while his dad coached from the sidelines. The sport shaped him not just as an athlete, but as a person. “It taught him teamwork, but I think most importantly, discipline,” said Mateo’s dad, Jason. Mateo carried that discipline with him as he grew, eventually becoming a goalkeeper and team captain.

Halfway through his sophomore year of high school, Mateo’s life changed unexpectedly. What began as flu-like symptoms became something far more serious. “One morning, he woke up and said he didn’t want to go to school,” Jason recalled. “We thought that’s just what a teenager does. Then we were told we needed to see an oncologist and as soon as we looked that up, we knew.”  

His diagnosis put Mateo’s teenage life on hold. School stopped. Soccer stopped.  

Mateo went from being constantly active to homebound, unable to practice or compete in the sport he had worked toward since childhood. “To see how active he was, and how it all just stopped, was heartbreaking,” said Christina. Mateo remembers feeling “mad and devastated,” but leaned on his faith and support system to carry him through treatment.   

When the time came for Mateo’s Make-A-Wish experience, there was never any doubt about what he would wish for. A lifelong Manchester United fan, his dream was to see his favorite team play in person. For Mateo, Manchester United represents a lasting connection to the game that shaped him, and a piece of who he is that illness could never take away. 

For Christina, the wish carried even deeper meaning. “The fact that he gets to still have soccer in his life in this wish, combined with the fact that he doesn’t get to play, it’s really impactful for him because he can still be part of the game,” she said. 

At the airport, he was chanting team songs, dancing and cheering alongside his sister. “I just could not hold it in,” he beamed.  

Nothing compared to the moment he stepped into the stadium. “I remember walking up the stairs and seeing the whole field,” Mateo said. “I got emotional.” Though he had watched games on TV countless times, being there in person felt entirely different. “It was surreal beyond my wildest imagination. Almost life-changing.”  

Manchester United may not have won that day, but to Mateo and his family, it didn’t matter. In that moment, joy was louder than everything else.  

For Mateo, the wish created a moment where joy outweighed illness. Jason reflected on the generosity that made the experience possible. “We’re just very grateful for perfect strangers who don’t know us and don’t know Mateo,” he said. 

Today, Mateo looks toward the future with hope and a renewed perspective inspired by his wish. Though he still faced medical hurdles, his focus remains on giving back. He hopes to one day coach and mentor others through the sport that shaped him.