[chron] McGrady entertains Make A Wish boy

Good story. It also mentions TMacs back is feeling better.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3984205.html

Slam-dunk day for Make-A-Wish boy

By CLAUDIA FELDMAN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Daémon Hanna is 10 years old, lives in Madison, Wis., and thinks Houston Rockets forward Tracy McGrady is the coolest dude alive.

It was a no-brainer, then, when representatives of the Make-A-Wish Foundation approached Daémon and volunteered to make a dream come true.

The foundation staff grants favors to children with life-threatening illnesses, and Daémon has Langerhans cell histiocytosis, which means, in part, that he has a golf-ball-size tumor in his C-5 vertebra. It also means that some mornings he wakes up and can't move his neck and that he knows his way around chemotherapy, even though his disease is not cancer.

But Monday, fortunately, was not a sick day, and Daémon's illness was the last thing on his mind. In the morning he hopped around a hotel room in the Hyatt Regency downtown. From noon to 2:30 p.m. he roughhoused with McGrady and enjoyed, no doubt, the best day of his life.

First, the pair toured McGrady's three-story home in Sugar Land, then they played a basketball game in the indoor gym, which miraculously, Daémon won. Then they played a video basketball game in McGrady's home theater, a room with rows of oversize leather seats. The game was tight, but McGrady prevailed.

The 6-foot-8 superstar and father of two crowed in delight.

Daémon feigned disgust.

Then the pair headed for the kitchen counter and lunch, cooked by McGrady's personal chef, Rey Darthard. Daémon, a healthy eater, asked for chicken and broccoli and mushrooms, and man and boy chomped away. It would have made the Broccoli Association proud.

And they talked, of course.

Daémon asked McGrady if he got tired of being rich. McGrady, who wears diamonds in both ears and on his watch, mumbled that he did not.

Daémon wasn't finished. Did McGrady tire of being famous?

McGrady, 27, smiled into his plate. Fame is sweet. It allows him to meet cool kids like Daémon.

The duo played one final game of basketball before McGrady had to catch a plane to Los Angeles.

They agreed on the ground rules — the first one to score five free throws would win, and McGrady would shoot with his eyes closed. The good news is McGrady's sore back is sore no more, and he is an instinctive player. The bad news, for Daémon, is that he's not yet in McGrady's league, eyes open or shut.

But Daémon did get some valuable pointers from McGrady, the best one being, "You've got to talk to the ball. Yes, you have to talk to her."

Toward the end of the battle, McGrady picked Daémon up so he could increase his chances of making a bucket. They repeated that move three or four times, which made Daémon's mom wince because both players thought it would be funny if Daémon hung suspended from the rim, then landed on his feet with a smack.

If Dianne Hanna was thinking about golf-ball-size tumors, however, she didn't utter a peep. Instead, she tried to shoot a basket or two herself, missing all shots.

"Mom," Daémon protested, "you're embarrassing me."

When their time together was up, McGrady and Daémon held a news conference for a series of ESPN programs showcasing Make-A-Wish kids. Daémon said what he really loves about McGrady is his ballhandling and that he can dunk and make lots of outside shots.

Daémon, who doesn't see as much as he would like of his own father, added that McGrady is a very good dad.

"Maybe someday I can be like him."

McGrady was touched, too.

"This is a really special day for me," he said. "I'll never forget it."

As they parted, McGrady promised Daémon front-row seats the next time he and the Rockets play the Bucks in Milwaukee. And Daémon nodded, working to keep his bright, white smile in an up position.

Until they meet again.