I wish to meet the Vegas Golden Knights

Doron

13

lymphoma

Wish kid Doron

A Vegas Born Wish Comes True

Doron loves playing with his friends and being outdoors. He especially loves playing team sports like football and baseball with the other members of his school teams. He is known for being very fun-loving, having a big heart, and being very empathetic to and considerate of the needs of others.  

After his diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the fall of 2017, Doron could no longer be on the teams he enjoyed so much. For months, he had to spend his days in the hospital for treatments, including a round of chemotherapy.

Wish kid Doron

But there was a bright spot to Doron's time in treatment - rooting for the Vegas Golden Knights during their debut season. They were Las Vegas' team, they were his team, and as the VGK beat their opponents during their unprecedented run to the Stanley Cup Finals, Doron too felt like he could beat his condition.  

Now in remission and back to playing team sports (including a new one - hockey!), Doron had to think about what the most meaningful wish would be to him. Though he considered travelling with his family, he knew his one true wish was one that would keep him on his home turf - to meet the Vegas Golden Knights! Doron hoped that he would be able to attend a team practice, sit on the bench with the players, and get goalie tips from his favorite player, Marc-André Fleury.  

Doron meets Vegas Golden Knights

One day, Doron's family went on an excursion to Maverick Helicopters to get a bird's eye view of the strip. As Doron looked out over the Las Vegas strip, he saw something familiar...was that his name and face on a hotel digital billboard? The helicopter pilot confirmed - Doron's wish was coming true and he was becoming an honorary player for the day! 

As soon as the helicopter landed, Doron was whisked off to City National Arena in a limo, complete with a police escort courtesy of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. As they turned the corner, the sounds of the Knight Line and hundreds of cheering VGK staff welcomed the family as they pulled right up to the player entrance. 

Wish kid Doron

Doron made his day-long contract official, then Marc-André Fleury and Deryk Engelland escorted him to the private players’ lounge for a quick meal with the team before suiting up. Fleury personally helped Doron lace up in his brand-new hockey gear to get ready for his big entrance. You could see the wide grin on Doron’s face even through the goalie mask as his name was announced on the speaker and he made his way onto the ice.

You could see the wide grin on Doron’s face even through the goalie mask as his name was announced on the speaker and he made his way onto the ice. The lights in the arena flashed and Doron skated through the tunnel of Golden Aces, high-fiving Chance the mascot as he headed out to join the other players for his first lap. While his family watched from the stands, Doron skated with the players and then headed to the net. As Fleury gave him pointers, Doron turned away shot after shot from the Golden Knights.

Wish kid Doron

While his family watched from the stands, Doron skated with the players and then headed to the net. As Fleury gave him pointers, Doron turned away shot after shot from the Golden Knights.  

With a final “Go Knights Go!” chant, Doron took a victory lap, his one true wish granted.   

Watch Doron's full wish experience on ESPN's “My Wish” series from 2019. Special thanks to the Vegas Golden Knights, ESPN, and everyone in the Las Vegas community who made this day truly unforgettable.  

Doron Meets the Vegas Golden Knights