The Queensland Maroons had a very special guest at their captain's run ahead of Origin Two when 18-year-old Makayla joined them at the MCG.
With the help of the Maroons players and staff, Make-A-Wish Australia was able to grant Makayla's wish to go to a State of Origin game live and also meet some of the players.
Makayla lives in the Northern Territory and she is a huge rugby league fan. Her favourite players are Jordan Riki and Selwyn Cobbo.
As the Maroons went through their captain's run ahead of their bid to keep the series alive, Makayla was there to meet coach Billy Slater and his players.
"Yesterday was one of those days that words almost can’t describe," said mum Karina.
"As a mum, watching Makayla experience something so special filled my heart in a way I never imagined possible. To see her standing there, surrounded by the players she has watched, admired and cheered for, was nothing short of magical.
"The smiles, the laughter, the conversations, the photos, the handshakes and hugs, every single moment felt like a dream come true.
"For our family, this journey has been filled with challenges since Makayla’s diagnosis with MJD. There have been many difficult days, many tears and many moments where we have had to find strength we didn’t know we had. But yesterday wasn’t about MJD. Yesterday was about Makayla being a teenager living her dream.
"She was absolutely starstruck, especially meeting some of her favourite players, and for those few hours the worries of the world seemed to disappear.
"Walking onto the MCG, meeting the teams, standing among the players and feeling so welcomed by everyone involved was an experience our family will never forget.
"We are grateful to everyone who helped make this happen, to the incredible people behind Make-A-Wish, the NRL family, the support staff and every player who took the time to make Makayla feel so special."
And to top off an incredible couple of days in Melbourne, Makayla will join a record crowd at the MCG to soak up all the Origin action as the Maroons look to send us to a decider in Brisbane.
- To learn more about Make-A-Wish Australia visit makeawish.org.au
