A plea on Twitter took less than 24 hours to go viral and get a response from New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The Twitter campaign is for 13-year-old Hunter Pietrowski, who is battling cancer and about to undergo his final treatment.
"What's up, Hunter, it's your buddy Rob Gronkowski here," Gronkowski says in the video's opening.
Hunter was hoping for a meet and greet with Gronkowski, but said the video was just as special.
"I was excited and speechless,” Hunter said.
Hunter was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in June. It already had spread to his spine when doctors found it.
Treatment began a short time later at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina, where his family now lives.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady visited the hospital, but Hunters’ favorite player, Gronkowski, wasn’t able to join him.
After that, the family began a Twitter campaign to get Hunter a meet and greet.
"Just hearing about your story Hunter so I just want to say congratulations on your last chemo session coming up on Thursday,” Gronkowski told him in the personalized message.
It seems what kept the tight end off this playing field put him on the same one as Hunter.
"We're both going through a little setback right now, but we're both gonna come back with major comebacks, Hunter, so let's do it. Stay strong and let's fight through this, let's go,” Gronkowski said.
Hunter couldn’t be happier.
"Just getting something from your favorite player, it's just something you wouldn't expect,” he said.
The video has been playing on a loop in Hunter’s room.
"It's really nice to see that twinkle and that smile and I think we've probably played it 50 times last night just over and over so we'll continue to keep playing it over and over,” said Hunter’s mother, Tiffany Pietrowski.
About the Author
