For many people, the Leafs game this past Saturday was filled with excitement, as the Leafs won 4-1 against the Detroit Red Wings.
But for 15-year-old Mason Zammit, the day was a dream come true.
Mason and his family headed to Toronto early Saturday morning to meet the Leafs, thanks to the Guelph Wish Fund for Children and Red Car Service, who donated the transportation.
They got to watch the team practice before heading down to the change room to meet Mason’s all-time-favourite player, Auston Matthews.
“He was so excited, but at the same time he was anxious and nervous and shaking,” said Shelley Zammit, Mason’s mom.
“It was an amazing feeling, seeing him be a kid for a day,” she said of Mason, who has Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
In preparation for the day, Shelley and her husband Jeff bought a Matthews’ jersey, number 34, for Mason to wear; a jersey now autographed by several players, including Matthews and defenseman Morgan Rielly.
Now, it’s tucked away in Shelley’s closet for safekeeping until they decide what they want to do with it.
Watching the Leafs is something they often do as a family, albeit from their comfort of their family home in Guelph. This time, after meeting Mason's favourite player, they got to see the winning game in person, capping off a once-in-a-lifetime day.
“We’re very grateful for everything that everybody did,” she said.
