The Reach for a Dream Foundation and the Springboks made 10-year-old Isabella Grace Esterhuyse’s dream of meeting the team come true at the Castle Lager Rugby Championship game where the Springboks beat Argentina 48-7.
Esterhuyse not only went to meet Siya Kolisi and the team, but she also handed Kolisi the trophy at the end of the match and shared in the winning moment.
Esterhuyse was diagnosed with a rare stage three undifferentiated small cell sarcoma of the soft tissue.
The foundation is known for making dreams come true for children, like Esterhuyse, who are living with life-threatening disease.
The child and her family were flown to Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit to spend the day with the Springboks.
“It felt unreal and awesome. When I met him in person it was unbelievable and I was so excited. It was an amazing feeling,” Esterhuyse said.
Social media was abuzz with comments from the public sharing Esterhuyse’s joy and excitement.
Angelique Owen posted: “Well done to our Bokke. They should call it the Bella cup, as this was the most special win ever making a little girl’s dream come true.”
Charmaine Rene Bell commented: “I cried all the way through the SA anthem for so many reasons but two reasons today made it even harder not to cry. Eben (Etzebeth)’s tears running down his face and Isabella’s wish coming true. Well done Bokke. You make us all proud. No matter where we are in the world. Well done.”
Tiaan Cloete posted: “Wonderful that little girl will carry this memory for the rest of her life, stay strong and keep fighting!”
Reach for a Dream regional branch manager in the Eastern Cape, Lwanele Mpeta, said the moment was heartwarming. “We help any child that comes on our radar. What SA got to witness was one of the initiatives we do all the time, but this happened to be the whole of SA’s dream.
“Our objective is to inspire hope to any child going through life-threatening illness to show them that tomorrow is worth fighting for,” Mpeta said.
