Last year, Oklahoma walk-on James Fraschilla created an amazing video of various trick shots to help raise money for Hayden’s Hope, a charitable organization created by SportsCenter anchor and Oklahoma alum Dari Nowkhah and his wife, Jenn, to raise awareness and funding for pediatric transplants.
Fraschilla’s first video was impressive. The sophomore production, however, is even better because it features the celebrity cameos (including Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones and Gonzaga star Kevin Pangos) that every sophomore trick-shot star must employ on their second compilation.
I liked every maneuver, but Oklahoma kicker Eric Hosek’s shot will blow your mind. Check out the entire mix for yourself:
James Fraschilla's Trick Shots for Hayden: Part II
It’s a fun video but Fraschilla, the son of ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla, created it for an admirable cause.
The Nowkhahs’ son, Hayden, was healthy when he was born Aug. 12, 2011. But just 39 days later, he was gone -- an infant victim of a virus that affected his heart. The tragic event led to the creation of Hayden’s Hope.
Here’s the letter the Nowkhahs penned on their website:
39 days. 39 days is how long we had our baby boy, Hayden. On August 12, 2011, Hayden Michael Nowkhah was born -- the picture of perfect health. Six days later, Hayden was back in the hospital with a 102 degree fever. A virus caused that fever. That same virus attacked little Hayden's heart. His perfect health was gone and within a matter of days, Hayden was near the top of the heart transplant list. How could this happen to a baby that had not one single health concern at birth? There is no answer.
Hayden did not get the heart he needed to survive. We made the decision to let Hayden go. He had suffered enough.
We have started "Hayden's Hope" to raise awareness for pediatric organ donation. In addition, Hayden's Hope, working in conjunction with the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA), is raising money to cover transplant-related expenses in honor of children awaiting life-saving transplants. Medical bills, travel costs to and from transplant centers, lengthy stays away from home and in many cases, job loss affects transplant families and crushes them financially. COTA families receive 100% of the money raised through Hayden's Hope. It is our hope that Hayden's story inspires others to help children achieve the successful transplants they deserve so that they can live the life they were meant to live.
Enjoy Fraschilla’s latest video. But please listen to his message: the children who are awaiting these transplants not only need folks to be aware of their challenges but they also need resources. So feel free to make a donation after you watch Hosek’s ridiculous kick-shot.