West Jordan Mascot and Foundation Bring Smiles
Aug 04, 2016 03:30PM ● By Mylinda Le Grande
Local mascots joined in on a charitable Heber Creeper ride for disadvantaged kids through the Mascott Miracle Foundation – Mascot Miracle Foundation
By Mylinda LeGrande | [email protected]
West Jordan, Utah - West Jordan resident Felix Falcon, along with other local sports team mascots, has had the privilege of attending numerous events across the valley. He is the founder of The Mascot Miracles Foundation. His website says, “Hundreds of smiles, lifted-spirits, and filled hearts attend each hug offered by this group. Kids of all ages and sizes adore these precious moments with their favorite team mascot, but it’s the hearts of those inside the masks that are often touched the most.”
The Utah Falconz together with The Mascot Miracles Foundation has teamed up with professional, college and corporate mascots to form a 501C3 nonprofit organization. This foundation uses its donations to grant wishes to families with serious to terminally ill children. These wishes have been delivered by the recipient’s favorite mascot from various Utah sports teams.
The Falconz mascot, Felix, is the founder of this charitable foundation. “I founded this [charity] after I saw the positive response I received after putting together a mascot dodgeball tournament for a little girl that was going through Leukemia” Felix said. “I have personally witnessed a young girl take her first and last steps.”
He said that many of the stories don’t have happy endings and has watched many of the recipients of MMF events pass away.
“I have stood beside a young princess going through heart failure and have been with her as she took her last breath,” Felix said. “A few days later, the mascots carried this 8-year-old to her final resting place, and we have done this a multiple times since.”
The women’s Falconz Football team website had this to say about the foundation, “We cannot change the outcome of the illnesses, but we can fervently endeavor to bring a little happiness to their hearts today. In order to make this foundation successful, we will need a great deal of funding. Mascot Miracles Foundation is currently looking for corporate sponsors (keeping in mind the great tax deduction) while bringing joy to a child’s heart. Each moment counts for these kids.”
One of the families affected was the Hancock family, which has a son who has a rare condition called Bronchial Malaysia. He is also fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Sara Hancock, according to the foundation blog said, “We have had many organizations come to our aid. One of them was the MMF. Felix is an amazing bird that would play with the kids and make them laugh. It was like having Mickey Mouse there at each event.”
Another recipient, Max, was diagnosed with stage II, Wilm’s Tumor kidney cancer. He met Felix as well as Mariah who has a DIPG tumor that is 100 percent fatal. Mariah’s mom, Terra, said, “We met the Mascot Miracles Foundation at their annual train ride. It was wonderful to see children’s faces light up and forget about their illness while with the mascots. My favorite memory is when Felix came to Mariah’s princess room revealing. She loved having him around. He made her laugh and brought her so much joy.” (MMF blog)
