Tanner Dikan received a surprise FaceTime call last week from Tom Brady.
The 13-year-old from Massachusetts, who suffers from a rare respiratory disease, was days away from getting an all-access pass to meet some of his sports heroes, courtesy of Fanatics and Make-A-Wish.
Before he made the trip to New York City for Fanatics Fest, Brady wanted to offer some advice.
“On the call, he said, ‘You should practice receiving cause I’m gonna throw you some passes,” Dikan recalled.
So, he spent the next few days preparing – catching footballs in the yard with his friends, in the house with his family and, finally, on the turf at Javits Center with anyone who had a free set of hands while waiting for Brady to arrive.
Shortly after Brady stepped onto the field, he began giving Dikan routes to run.
“He was telling me like how to do the routes and where you should go,” Dikan said, “and he said you should probably want to catch it.”
Which is just what Dikan did, even making it appear on one play that it wasn’t the eighth-grader with braces and a lightning bolt shaved into the side of his head who needed practice, but the future Hall of Fame quarterback with seven Super Bowl rings and multiple NFL records.
As Dikan ran five yards out and cut to his left, Brady dropped back to pass and delivered a throw that was off target. Dikan fully extended his right arm to grab the ball and pulled it back into his chest for a highlight-reel worthy one-handed catch.
“He just told me to run a route, but it was not a good pass so I just reached out and caught it,” Dikan said, before his mother interjected.
“Tom Brady threw you a bad pass?” Debbie Dikan said with a laugh. “Is that what you’re trying to say?”
The throw, he said, was just a little off. But the catch impressed a future Hall of Famer who has been on the field or sideline for some of the most iconic catches in NFL history.
After Dikan returned to the line of scrimmage, Brady drew up another play, and this time, both the throw and the catch were perfect. Brady celebrated by taking the ball and spiking it to the ground.
To Dikan, it never mattered whether Brady made an accurate throw or not, because just by throwing him the ball, he made his wish come true.
“It was cool and exciting,” Dikan said.
When Dikan was 8 months old, his parents took him to the hospital, where he remained for 10 days with pneumonia. Repeated bouts of pneumonia over the next eight months led to the discovery that he had a form of children’s interstitial lung disease, which Boston Children’s Hospital describes as a group of rare lung diseases that can make it difficult to breathe.
He began getting IVIG infusions, Debbie Dikan said, which have continued monthly for the last 10 years.
“It’s to like boost my immune system and make me better,” he said.
Breathing difficulties made Dikan feel winded and tired but could not slow his passion for sports, particularly hockey.
“I love watching every single sport,” he said, “and sports is like my favorite hobby.”
Three years ago, through Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, he signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins, his favorite NHL team.
He announced the starting lineup to the players in the locker room, skated with the team on the ice before the game, sat next to former head coach Jim Montgomery at the podium during the postgame press conference, and spent time with his favorite player Brad Marchand.
He had another wish to attend Fanatics Fest and meet some of the athletes who attend the three-day fan convention. With Fanatics being the official sports partner of Make-A-Wish, his wish was granted, and he was named the very first Fanatics Fest Wish Kid.
“He’s just a massive sports fan, across various different teams and leagues,” said Grace Farraj, executive director of Fanatics Foundation. “So, actually having a wish to attend Fanatics Fest is kind of a jackpot because you get the best of everything. This is truly the best of fandom here across all leagues and then some. So, he’s going to have an incredible weekend full of experiences…We’re just incredibly honored to be able to do this for him.”
Tanner Dikan took selfies with Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. (Photos courtesy of the Dikan family)
It began with a FaceTime call with Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, who then tossed it over to Brady.
“You’re going to have a great time, you’re going to have one of the best days of your life, alright?” Brady said. “And I can’t wait, we’re going to have a blast.”
Dikan traveled with his parents and 16-year-old sister Gabby from their home in Topsfield to New York. His experience began Friday with a $200 shopping spree in the merchandise area, where he picked up a Brady jersey to get autographed and other items. He then went to the football field to warm up while waiting for Brady.
Did his parents have any advice before his catch with a legend?
“Try not to miss,” said his father Mike Dikan.
“To practice,” added Debbie Dikan, ”which he is.”
One of Brady’s former teammates, Rob Gronkowski, joined Dikan on the field later in the day for a football throwing contest — and spiking lesson.
“I liked him because he was like funny,” Dikan said. “He was like, ‘How did you learn how to throw? I didn’t know Tom taught you already!’”
Dikan met legends, All-Stars and up-and-coming athletes: including Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, New Jersey Devils stars Jack and Luke Hughes, Los Angeles Rams receiver Davante Adams, and San Antonio Spurs 7-foot-3 star Victor Wembanyama.
“I did have to look all the way up,” Dikan said of what he called the tallest person he has ever met.
“All the surprises and all they let Tanner do and gave him is just amazing,” Debbie Dikan said. “A huge thank you for making the day so special for Tanner. He’s waited a long time for his wish, and it was just better than we expected.”
It was a weekend that created what will be lifelong memories for Dikan, who was eager to return home to tell his friends about his favorite moment of all.
“I will tell them,” he said with a smile, “that I caught a one-handed catch from Tom Brady.”
Tanner Dikan will see Tom Brady and other star athletes Friday, but the Patriots legend surprised him with a phone call first.
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