Penguins Grant Four Wishes, Sign Kids to One-Day Contracts

On March 8, 2011, Brett and Jackie Ferriss received life-altering news.
On Wednesday, 12 years to the date, they got to watch Logan - their 13-year-old son - skate with Sidney Crosby and other Penguins during the team's practice at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

"This day is extra special to our family," Jackie said. "Today's actually the 12th anniversary of Logan being diagnosed. Today is the day we found out 12 years ago. We are overwhelmed and just overjoyed that he could have his wish come true, to come meet Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. It has been just fantastic."
Logan, as well as Luke Coughlan (17), Chayce Taylor (14) and Dominic Lettrich (6) were "signed" to special one-day contracts by Penguins general manager Ron Hextall through Make-A-Wish chapters covering parts of Canada, as well as Pennsylvania and West Virginia. While Dominic is a native of nearby Gibsonia, all three of his new teammates came from north of the border.

Hextall described the day as a "great honor" for the organization, adding that it was "an exciting day for all our players."
"It really means a lot, just to have this opportunity to be part of such a great organization with a lot of great players," said Chayce, sounding like a seasoned pro when the group held a special press conference after putting pen to paper.
During the media availability, when asked who ate the most food at breakfast in the team lounge, Luke smiled and raised his hand without hesitation. All four also said that Crosby was their favorite player.

Luke - a native of New Brunswick - didn't want to take a moment for granted. The experience become more surreal when he realized that he'd be on the ice with his idol in Crosby, who was born and raised in the bordering province of Nova Scotia. The signees joined their heroes on the ice after watching part of practice from the management booth.
"Well, I didn't expect to skate with him and take clappers and (have him) give me some passes," Luke said. "I didn't expect that. It's a dream come true. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Luke added that it "means everything" and that it's "every kid's dream" to have the type of opportunity he had on Wednesday.
"I appreciate every minute of it," Luke said. "Last year, when I was in the hospital, I never thought that

I would be in Pittsburgh and meet Sidney Crosby and all those guys in the Penguins organization. I'm really thankful for everything."
Logan said he was nervous at first, but those nerves quickly disappeared.
"When we sat down and talked to them, I noticed that they were actually just normal guys," Logan said. "It was a lot of fun at the press conference. I was pretty nervous because I don't like speaking in front of people, but it wasn't that bad."
Jackie said that she knew her son would be anxious about the event, but he'd enjoy it no matter what.
"I think it was really surreal until it happened," Jackie said. "He was really nervous coming up to today. We've been talking about it for about two weeks now. I think he finally found his zone on the ice."
Crosby said that events like this are "a lot of fun for us to be a part of," while also saying that he and his teammates are "more than willing to be a part of it and do what they can to help."
"I get a lot of energy from being around them," Crosby said. "I think the smiles and the joy that they have, being around all of us and experiencing this - this is a place that we get to come to every day that we probably take for granted. For them to come in here, and see them be wide-eyed and so impressed by everything, I think it's just something that keeps things in perspective. You just enjoy being a part of that."
Dana Antkowiak, the senior marketing manager for Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia, said that the Penguins "really roll out the red carpet for these kids."
"[The kids] are just totally immersed in the experience, and these are memories that they will have forever," Antkowiak said.
She specifically commended the players' efforts to help every kid thoroughly enjoy the experience.

"I know we've got some shy kids here today, and they really opened up as soon as the players came over," Antkowiak said. "These guys are just so great with kids. They engage with them, and they just know how to get them to open up."
Casey DeSmith said that after a little shyness at first, Dominic - the youngest of the group - came out of his shell once he got out on the ice. During the press conference, Dominic said that he wanted to be a goalie.
"That makes sense why he kept wanting to shoot on me over and over again," DeSmith laughed. "He scored a lot of goals, too. Gotta work on my five-hole, I think."

DeSmith,
whose sister Kylene had cancer and participated in the Make-A-Wish program
, truly understands the importance of events like this, having a personal experience with it himself.
"They're doing something they love, which is hockey, and that's something that we love, too," DeSmith said. "So, sharing that bond on the ice, off the ice. Obviously, they're amazing kids, and they've been through a lot."
Dominic's father, Joe, knew his son would savor the opportunity.
"I think he needed this," Joe said. "Last year, I think he spent over 70 days either in a hotel or a hospital in New York. So to get the chance to just be a kid, I think he really appreciates it."
His mother, Michelle, said that this was always Dominic's wish, and it never wavered.
"He, from the very first time we asked him and said, 'you can go anywhere. You can do anything that you want to do,' he wanted to meet Sidney Crosby," Michelle said. "We revisited it, and that was his thing. I have pictures of him last year in the hospital in Pittsburgh watching playoff games while the chemo was dripping in his shirt.
"So it's just what he wanted. We come here often to watch practice, and he was just really excited to meet the team."