"Are you kidding me?" He says

The Today Show.

If VH1 isn't playing music videos, Matt, Meredith and Al are my number one morning background noise of choice. I don't normally pay special attention to the stories because I'm getting ready for work and racing out the door. But today one story unexpectedly made me put the hair dryer down and pay attention. And at 8 something in the morning, that is hard to do. Grab my attention, not stop blowing my hair. 

Here's what I remember:

Ann Curry talking...
Mentions "A young boy... "
Says something about being against all odds...
And that what I'm about to watch will make me feel inspired...

Yup. Heard that one before. Blow dryer goes on full blast and I head back into the bathroom. 30 seconds later I come back out of the bathroom (hard to stay in one spot), yanking my hair with my brush and only able to hear the loud "oooooooowwwwwwoooo" of the blow dryer.

I look back at the TV. It's muted yet the screen is a screaming picture. There's this little boy, with one arm, no legs riding on top of a skateboard. He uses his one arm to push himself as the rest of his body lays belly down. What?

Then an interview, I'm assuming his father. Then a series of shots peaking into his daily life. Him hitting a baseball pitched to him by his mom. He holds the bat with his arm and between his neck and the top of his shoulder. A school musical where he plays the drums. His little body scooting down the stairs one at a time, secure only by the use of his elbow. A kitchen scene where he sits on top of the counter and helps cook with one hand.

An interview with his mom.

I turn off the blow dryer. 

At one point the boy is wearing a Tiki Barber jersey and playing football in the yard. It's football by a completely different definition then you or I know it but it's his version. A few more sound bites. Another shot of him back on that skateboard racing down the street.

The piece ends and Ann Curry is back. I'd forgotten what I'd been doing before. There sitting on a couch on the Today show set is the little boy squeezed in between his mom and dad. He's wearing the Barber jersey. They begin to talk. All I can think is "Tiki better be coming to the show today. They have to introduce him."  

I turn the volume up. Nick is his name and he's happier then most 12 year olds I've ever met. His eyes sparkle and I can't help but think, "I hope that little spirit never gets broken."

As I watch the interview I'm thinking to myself what I would do as a producer. I'd want to be careful that if I brought Tiki onto the set, the football star wouldn't overshadow the tiny boy. The presence of a famous athlete wouldn't take away from the story. Would I have had the two meet before?  No time for an answer...

Ann asks if Nick would like to meet someone special. You can tell Nick is hoping it's who he thinks it is but doesn't want to jinx it. Tiki walks out holding a skateboard. The boy lights up.

As Tiki tells Nick how brave he is and Ann asks how cool this all is Nick tears up. But the tears are a mixture of awe, joy and privilege. There are none of pity. Ann asks: "Do you want to play football with Tiki Barber?" Nick nods, rubs his eyes and then responds with quick wit: "Are you kidding me?" It was a nice way to start the morning.