Hello, hello!
Just a quick post today to share a lovely story courtesy of the very fine Swansea City FC in Wales. Their midfield player Jonjo Shelvey has a great name, and having read this story, also seems like a great guy.
A bit of backstory, then. Jonjo has a condition known as alopecia, which caused him to lose his hair early on in his childhood. He recently received a letter from a little 7-year old boy named Harry with the same condition (a bit of unfortunate irony in the name there). The boy asked if Jonjo wouldn’t mind coming down to his house in London and meeting all his friends.
Rather adorable. In an act that would surely warm to cockles of even the more cynical sports fans, Shelvey then invited young Harry to a match, even shooting penalty kicks with him at half time. A lovely gesture.
I know what it was like for me growing up as a boy with Alopecia, it was quite tough for me with people calling me names and things.
I felt for Harry when I got the letter and it was nice for me to share some of my experiences with him and to try and guide him along the right lines.
Excellent job, Jonjo. You’ve not let your excellent name down.
Happy Weekend, everyone!
Happy lookin’ fella, Jonjo.
Sharing our struggles and sympathizing helps to ease the burden.
That is a great story, and it is unfortunate for a bald kid to be named Harry. There’s also the NBA player Charlie Villanueva, who Kevin Garnett got in trouble for calling a cancer victim. Bad call, KG!
Is Jonjo a Welsh name?
He’s not actually Welsh so probably not. I don’t know where it comes from but it appears to be his real birth name, which is awesome.
That’s very sweet.
” In an act that would surely warm to cockles of even the more cynical sports fans . . .”
There are cynical sports fans?
Hmmm, I have no source to back this claim up. So in the spirit of our most prominent news sources, I will stand behind it.
What a great story to share. Thanks, Arto!
Cool story and cool names. Jonjo Jonjo Jonjo. I could say that all day. Shelvey is good, too. I have a few of those at home–they are where I keep my bookeys.