Dylan McCallum and his family eagerly set off for the DHL Stormers game this weekend to celebrate his birthday and see if his wish would come true.
Cape Town, South Africa (25 March 2024) – The DHL Stormers faced up against Edinburgh at Cape Town Stadium this weekend and while the team got to celebrate a victorious win, it was a much smaller win that won our hearts! This win was a birthday wish come true and a dream turned reality.
The McCallum family travelled all the way from Plettenberg Bay to Cape Town to celebrate their son Dylan’s 12th birthday. The celebration included watching Dylan’s favourite team, the DHL Stormers. Dylan went to the match with a birthday wish set firmly in his heart.
While traditionally, a birthday wish is kept close to the heart, Dylan decided to write it out on a big poster in the hope that someone would see it and make his wish come true. The wish was to have a photograph with Manie Libbok, a talented Stormer and World Cup Springbok!
Dylan spent the whole match hoping to catch the eye of the TV cameras or DHL Stormers’ officials so they would see the homemade sign he resolutely held up, asking to have a photograph taken with Manie Libbok as his birthday wish.
Dylan’s sign was seen and the DHL Stormers Head Coach got the team looking for Dylan and his family so they could make his wish a reality after the match.
“One of our great motivations is to ‘Make Cape Town Smile’; I think we really understand the positive impact we can have on people’s lives, not only by playing an entertaining brand of rugby, but also by having meaningful interactions with our fans. This is a wonderful example of this – great that we were able to find [him] in the crowd and make it happen!” – John Dobson, Head Coach of the DHL Stormers
Dylan’s wish indeed came true and he was invited onto the field by DHL Stormers’ management after the game, and not only got the autograph and photo he wanted with his hero Manie Libbok, but also got to meet and greet rugby greats Damian Willemse, Hacjivah Dayimani and Frans Malherbe, among others.
“I was very excited, nervous and very happy that I got to meet and take a picture with my rugby star. I also play rugby position number 10 and 14 at my school Plettenberg Bay Primary. I base my style on the way Manie plays his rugby. He inspires me.” – Dylan McCallum
It was a dream come true and one that Dylan will never forget!
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