Tim Tebow Takes 9-Year-Old With Genetic Disorder as Date to Awards Show
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow made one little girl from Colorado very happy over the weekend when he flew her out to California to be his "date" for the second annual Cartoon Network Hall of Game Awards show.
Presli Collins, who turned 10 years old on Tuesday, was diagnosed with a genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis (NF1) in 2008, according to the "Pray for Presli" Facebook page. The disorder causes her to body to develop benign growths under her skin and in her nervous system, which have forced her to undergo several surgeries, including brain and back surgery.
The Collins family was amazed when someone from the Tim Tebow Foundation's "Wish 15" program called to arrange for Presli and her father to join the quarterback at the awards show.
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"She had just gone through a lot, and when we got the notice for this she was just completely shocked," Lisa Collins, Presli's mother, told KDVR in Denver on Monday. "My husband last night said that the whole weekend he's never seen her smile and be as happy as she was."
Denver's CBS4 reports that Presli and Tebow had a fun-filled weekend, shooting Nerf guns, avoiding paparazzi, dining and attending the sports awards show together.
On the day of the awards, Tebow posted a photo of himself with Presli to his Twitter account, calling her "my beautiful date."
Presli also got her photo taken with NBA great Shaquille O'Neil, U.S. soccer star Hope Solo and LA Dodger Matt Kemp while at the awards show, and was given a football that was autographed by Tebow before they parted ways.
"[Tebow] was a thousand times nicer than you think he is," Presli told KDVR. After their time together came to an end, Presli says Tebow told her, "Thank you for being an amazing date."
Though he gave a lot, Tebow didn't leave the weekend empty-handed either. He walked away with the "Captain Clutch" award, one that was well-deserved due to his astounding fourth-quarter play throughout the 2011-2012 NFL season.
This isn't the first time Tebow, an evangelical Christian, has been a dream come true for a young person. In addition to setting up meetings with children who are afflicted by life-threatening illnesses through the "Wish 15" program, the Tim Tebow Foundation has also teamed up with CURE International to build a children's hospital in the Philippines.
Tebow posted another message about Presli on Monday, telling his followers to visit the "Pray for Presli" Facebook page and saying, simply, "She's amazing."
