Saquon Barkley held a youth camp in Scranton earlier this month and, according to the report, arranged for an attendee with a rare genetic disorder to score a touchdown in front of the other campers. The interaction involved Mikey Ash, a 21-year-old Penn State and Philadelphia Eagles fan, who leapt from his wheelchair when Barkley asked, “Mikey, do you want to score a touchdown?” per the report.
Nikki Ash of Exton saw the camp advertised on Facebook and contacted the hosting company, FlexWork Sports, to request that her son be included despite not meeting the posted age range of 6-16. The report says Mikey has Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, a condition present since birth that has affected nearly every system in his body. He often needs a wheelchair, round-the-clock nursing when not hospitalized, and, as his mother put it, “He’s had more surgeries than birthdays.”
FlexWork welcomed the family and helped coordinate a special moment, the report says. When Barkley joined Mikey’s group, he told the other kids the plan: Barkley would hand the ball to Mikey while the others cheered and blocked him to the end zone. Ash described Barkley’s encouragement of the group to chant Mikey’s name and give him high-fives, making him feel like an “MVP,” the report says. “I can’t even put into words what it meant to my son,” Ash said.
After the cameras had stopped filming, Barkley told Ash, “Good job, Mom. He’s my hero,” according to the report. Ash said she cried and that Mikey returned to the hospital soon after, showing the video to his nurses and talking about the friends he had made and holding a football — an action his family had once been told he might never be strong enough to do. Ash relayed a remark from Mikey’s physical therapist emphasizing the moment’s impact.
The report notes that other children at the camp volunteered to push Mikey’s wheelchair and help him through drills, and that the family has watched the video many times. Ash expressed gratitude for the inclusive experience and said the family has attended a Nittany Lions game but has not yet made it to an Eagles game; they remain committed to trying to get to Lincoln Financial Field this year, per the report.
