Tickets for Tampa: Inspired by family, Goncalves supports kids with cerebral palsy

What do six-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion Michael Jordan and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Gage Goncalves have in common?

Both are Lachlan Sandford’s favorite athletes all-time.

Sandford is a college wheelchair tennis player in Texas who hails from British Columbia, Canada. The college athlete lives with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that can affect a person’s mobility, balance, vision, speech and other neurological aspects of day-to-day life.

He is also Goncalves’ cousin.

So, when it came time for Goncalves to pick his cause for Tampa Bay’s player ticket program, one that sees Bolts players donate tickets each season to area nonprofits to bring area families to Lightning games, his cousin inspired him to help area families affected by cerebral palsy.

“I’ve been around it my whole life. I see how hard he works every day and everything he does. It seems like he’s gonna have a setback, and he just powers through it,” Goncalves said of Sandford. “I know how much support he had growing up with his family and how big our family is and all the nurses that came over. But I also found out that not all kids have all the necessary requirements or needs to have a happy, healthy life and be able to do things that they dream of doing. So it’s nice that Tampa has this program. That’s what makes this organization the best, the little stuff like that to help give back to the community.”

Goncalves has watched his cousin go on to earn a scholarship and become a college wheelchair tennis player in Texas.

He shares that story with the kids he meets through the Lightning’s player ticket program.

“Just being able to see him not through the struggles, but just how hard he had to work every day. Whether it was walking or speech or how much time and loyalty it takes from your parents to be there and provide,” Goncalves said of what inspired him. "It's a great cause, and I love meeting the kids after the games and getting them to talk through it and tell them about my little cousin, Lachlan, too. They get pretty fired up when I tell them his story.”

Multiple nonprofit organizations helping those affected by cerebral palsy have received tickets through Goncalves and the Lightning Foundation this season, including Wheelchairs 4 Kids, a local group that strives to improve the lives of children with physical disabilities.

Goncalves met two area children helped by Wheelchairs 4 Kids as well as their families following an overtime win in October. Among them was 17-year-old Kiley Griggs.

“I didn’t know much about his cerebral palsy mission,” Griggs said of Goncalves’ player ticket initiative after the game. “And I think that’s really cool because not a lot of people know what CP is or know enough to actually go out and do something about it and advocate for change, so I totally commend him for that.”

Regardless of what happens on the ice for the Lightning, such postgame meet and greets through the ticket program are always something to look forward to for Goncalves.

“We could win 9-0 or lose 9-0, and at the end of the day these kids are coming to the games and they're having either a really tough time or a really great time. So you’ve got to check that at the door and you get to meet some great people and some great families, and it's always a lot of fun,” Goncalves said.

He smiled.

“They are usually humming around super excited, taking photos and just telling me about their life. I enjoy getting to meet their parents and the people that help them out and have been with them since day one. It’s so awesome to hear their stories and just hear about what the program helps them do or is capable of doing, and I hope we can keep that going for a long time.”

Note: This story is part of a series highlighting Tampa Bay’s player ticket program, in which Lightning players donate tickets to those affiliated with area nonprofits each season through the Lightning Foundation as a way to recognize them for their contributions to the community.