Marcus Thompson had always dreamed of a life filled with basketball, high-flying dunks, and the thrill of competition. But when he was just nine years old, his world came to a halt as he was diagnosed with leukemia. The harsh treatments, the endless hospital visits, the isolation—it all felt like too much for a kid who just wanted to play ball. But through it all, one thing never wavered: his love for basketball, and more specifically, his admiration for LeBron James.
LeBron had always been Marcus’s hero. During his first battle with cancer, he would lie in his hospital bed, watching LeBron play on his TV, fighting for victories on the court while Marcus fought for his life in the hospital. LeBron’s never-give-up attitude and the way he overcame obstacles, both on and off the court, inspired Marcus to keep going, to never give up. It was a lifeline during the darkest days, and Marcus promised himself that if he made it through, he’d never take anything for granted again.
Now, at 12, Marcus was facing cancer for a second time. This time, the doctors weren’t hopeful. They told his mother, Sarah, that his condition was too advanced, too aggressive. The word “cure” wasn’t part of their vocabulary this time. Marcus knew what that meant. His heart broke as he thought of all the things he might never do—graduate, play high school basketball, experience life in full. But the one wish he had left was simple: to meet LeBron James.
As the days passed in the hospital, Marcus’s wish became his sole focus. He couldn’t stop thinking about how much seeing his hero in person might lift his spirits, even if just for a little while. His mom, ever the fighter, was doing everything she could to make that happen. She reached out to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and soon enough, Marcus’s story went viral. The video, showcasing his love for LeBron and how much his games had kept him going during his battle, spread across social media like wildfire.
What Marcus didn’t expect was for the world to take notice. ESPN picked up the story, and soon thousands of people were sharing their own messages of support for the young boy. Even LeBron James’s name started trending alongside #LetMarcusMeetLeBron. Would the King hear the plea? Could his final wish really come true?
One evening, Marcus lay in his hospital bed, watching another LeBron highlight reel on his phone. His body felt weak from the treatments, but his heart still burned with hope. He wasn’t ready to give up yet. As he scrolled through the endless comments on his viral video, something caught his eye—a tweet from LeBron’s official account: “Keep fighting, young king. Your strength inspires me. See you soon. Believe in hope.”
It was a message from LeBron himself. Marcus couldn’t believe it. His phone buzzed with countless notifications, but all he could focus on were those few words: “See you soon.” His heart skipped a beat. Could it really be happening? Would LeBron James, his hero, actually meet him?
The next few days were a blur. Marcus’s health began to deteriorate. His fever spiked, and he spent most of his time drifting in and out of consciousness, clinging to the hope that his hero would come through for him. Meanwhile, the world was rallying behind him. News vans flooded the hospital’s parking lot, and social media continued to amplify his message.
Then, one morning, as Marcus’s condition grew worse, something incredible happened. David from the LeBron James Family Foundation arrived at the hospital. He had a message that took Marcus’s breath away: “LeBron saw your video. He wants to meet you. But your doctors need to make sure you’re stable enough.”
Marcus was too weak to sit up, but the thought of seeing LeBron pushed him through the pain. He asked the doctors to keep him stable, promising to fight through the treatment, to keep his strength up just long enough to meet the man who had given him so much hope.
As Marcus’s fever began to drop, he clung to the thought that soon, he would finally get the chance to meet LeBron. His mom stood by him, fighting just as hard to hold herself together. With every passing moment, the hope that had been kindled inside Marcus burned brighter.
Then, as the sun started to set, the door to his hospital room opened, and in walked LeBron James himself.
Marcus’s heart nearly stopped. LeBron, standing at over 6’9″, ducked slightly to enter the room. His warm smile immediately put Marcus at ease. “There’s my young king,” LeBron said, walking over to Marcus’s bed. “Man, it’s good to finally meet you.”
Marcus struggled to find his voice, but LeBron gently put a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him. “It’s okay, I get nervous meeting my heroes too,” LeBron joked, making Marcus smile through his tears.
They sat and talked for what felt like hours. LeBron asked about Marcus’s journey, about his school team, and about his favorite basketball moments. For the first time in a long while, Marcus felt like a kid again, not a cancer patient. LeBron listened like he had all the time in the world, like the game could wait.
Then LeBron stood up and walked over to a large purple and gold box. “This isn’t just from me,” he said, bringing the box over to Marcus. Inside was a Lakers jersey with “Thompson” printed on the back, signed by the entire team. Also inside were a pair of LeBron’s game-worn shoes, signed by him as well.
But it wasn’t just the gifts that took Marcus’s breath away. There was a letter inside the box. LeBron handed it to Marcus. He read the letter aloud:
“Dear Marcus, you are hereby officially signed to a one-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Your strength, courage, and determination embody everything our team stands for. Welcome to the Lakers family.”
Tears flowed freely from Marcus’s eyes, and LeBron leaned in, his voice soft. “You’re the real hero here, Marcus. You’ve shown all of us what real strength is. And I’ll never forget this day.”
LeBron stayed for hours, talking, laughing, and even planning future surprises for Marcus. LeBron had not just fulfilled Marcus’s final wish—he had given him a purpose.
When LeBron left, he made one final promise: “You keep fighting, young king. I’ll see you again, and I’ll keep rooting for you every step of the way.”
That night, Marcus watched the Lakers game, LeBron wearing his jersey with Thompson on the back, pointing up to Marcus every time he scored. The Lakers won the game by 30 points, and LeBron, in his post-game interview, dedicated the win to Marcus, saying, “This game was for a very special teammate of mine, Marcus Thompson, who taught me what real courage looks like.”
Months passed, and Marcus’s health slowly improved. His doctors couldn’t explain it, but Marcus had found a new sense of purpose—thanks to LeBron. With the help of the LeBron James Family Foundation, Marcus’s story became a beacon of hope for other children battling cancer. His legacy, intertwined with LeBron’s, had begun.
And as Marcus Thompson lay in his bed, wearing his Lakers jersey and surrounded by family, he wasn’t thinking about the time he had left. He was thinking about the difference he could make—just like LeBron had. Because in that moment, Marcus knew that some legacies aren’t measured in years, but in the lives they touch. And he was ready to change the world.
Teen diagnosed with terminal cancer gets wish to meet LeBron James granted on Christmas Day
Corey Groves is as big of a LeBron James fan as anyone, and when the 17-year-old was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he wanted to spend what will likely be his final Christmas meeting his hero. The Lakers (and some others) made it happen on Sunday.
When 17-year-old Corey Groves was diagnosed with stage four sarcoma cancer and given a year to live, he had one final wish: To meet his hero LeBron James while attending the Christmas Day game between the Lakers and Clippers.
On Wednesday, Groves — who is from Brampton, a city in the Canadian province of Ontario — had his wish granted, with some help from fellow Canadian and Toronto Raptors superfan, Nav Bhatia. Groves was always planning to go to the game on Christmas, but last week, Bhatia surprised Groves to tell him that he had set up the meeting with one of James’ representatives.
On his Instagram page, Groves posted a photo of the special moment:
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Groves met James at the team’s walkthrough before the game at Staples Center. About a month ago, Groves detailed why getting to meet James was so important to him to Kevin Connor of The Toronto Sun:
“Before getting sick, I would eat, sleep basketball,” Corey said Wednesday during a break in his week-long chemotherapy treatment.
“Chances are (being in L.A. for the Christmas Day game) will be my last holiday ever. I’m hoping to spread the word and maybe get Lebron’s attention so I can shake my hero’s hand.”
Corey says he doesn’t only love James on the court but admires his work supporting under-privileged kids and first responders.
This is such a small thing for James to do, but kudos to him for actually doing it — not every celebrity would — and to everyone else that helped make it happen. Things like this are so much bigger than basketball, and it’s really amazing that James and everyone else who helped were able to make what might be this teen’s final holiday season a bit brighter.
