KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One month from now, the world will be watching as athletes enter the Olympic stadium to start the summer games in Paris.
To get ready, five WBIR anchors are teaming up with kids from Make-a-Wish East Tennessee to face off against each other in the ultimate challenge at D1 Knoxville Sports Training and Therapy — the Anchor Games! Stay tuned Wednesday, June 26 to see the action on 10About Town at 4 p.m.
►If you'd like to donate to Make-A-Wish of East Tennessee, click here.
Each child having a wish granted possessed drive and ambition -- not unlike some local Olympians we've been following on their journey to Paris.
Let's meet the coaches of the Anchor Games:
Sicilee Thomason is a precious 8-year-old girl who has cystic fibrosis, which makes life harder for this competitive cheerleader.
She has her fair share of struggles. Cystic fibrosis makes it hard for her to breathe, she takes 14 medications every day and she can barely have a simple snack without making sure she takes her enzymes.
“Sicilee has a vest, and what that vest does is it shakes around her lungs to help keep that mucus free and clear and helps her to be able to breathe a little better. While she’s doing that she’ll also do breathing treatments. We do those twice a day when she’s well and up to four times a day when she’s sick,” her mother Jessica said.
Despite the diagnosis, Sicilee manages to keep up with her friends in cheer. She's hoping to master a handspring soon.
Sicilee is a fighter, which is why she's the perfect person to coach Abby Ham and Heather Waliga in the Anchor Games.
They met Sicilee at Karns High School to get some advice on what it takes to win.
Sicilee said she voluntarily signed up to coach Heather and Abby in competition. She loves sparkles and said she can help the two anchors with tumbling and toe touches.
"If it's jumping, I can teach you how to jump—like toe touches and stuff," Sicilee said.
Abby asked if Sicilee could help train them with hurdles to which she replied, "I don't really know what that means."
When Heather and Abby asked Sicilee to razz the other anchors competing, she kept it positive.
"I'm going to say hope. I hope you guys do good—except my team wins," Sicilee said.
RELATED: 15-year-old gets new computer from Make-A-Wish so he can play with friends during treatment
At 15 years old, Brodie likes playing his drums, listening to music and playing video games. All of these things have been a much-needed source of distraction since Aug. 2023, when he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer.
"We have been going through chemo treatments since August and they're intense," his mother Brianna Adams said. "That's the roughest part of this. Every 2 weeks we go in for him to get chemo. One time we go in 5 days and the next 2 to 3 biweekly. In-between weeks we go to infusion, so we're in the hospital at least every week. That's been hard."
Brianna said it's been tough watching the toll the treatment has taken. Since he can't hang with his friends, Brodie interacts with them by playing video games, which is why his wish from Make-A-Wish was a customized computer setup. In May, his wish was granted.
Brodie is coaching anchor John Becker for the Anchor Games. Before the competition, Brodie sat down to test John's video game skills in Minecraft. Let's just say... John tried his best.
Zoe Arrington is a 15-year-old from Sevierville. Like most teenagers, Zoe loves spending time with her family and joking around with her mother, Danni Arrington. In a very real way, unlike other teenagers, she's had three heart surgeries.
"When she was born we found out that she had mitral valve regurgitation. She had a discreet fibrous subaortic membrane, and then they did the surgery and between the first two surgeries her valve shredded, and eventually that led to valve replacement," her mother Danni said.
Danni said her daughter is full of life and keeps going no matter what, even if the doctors tell her she needs to slow down. In particular, Zoe loves roller coasters. For that reason, she chose an amusement park trip as her wish.
At Dollywood, Zoe strapped into the front seat of Big Bear Mountain, taking our anchor Brittany Bailey along for the ride.
"It kind of feels free, almost like when you're riding and going, there's nothing that can hold you back," Zoe said.
When asked if it's scary to ride roller coasters, Zoe said, "Not really, not unless it's like one that I know my heart won't be able to handle. I usually try to stay away from those."
Zoe's up-and-down health journey led her to Make-A-Wish East Tennessee. Thanks to this, she is now Brittany's coach for the upcoming games.
After riding several coasters, Zoe couldn't leave Dollywood without seeing our favorite Sevierville songbird: Dolly Parton! Zoe got a special message from Dolly herself.
"Zoe, I will always love you," Dolly said.
Sam Long's journey began 19 years ago in an orphanage in China. Born with a severe heart condition, parents Vicky and Rick Long helped navigate Sam through a seemingly endless amount of doctor visits and surgeries.
"We had just adopted our daughter, and we had been home for about six weeks and we found out about Sam. The orphanage had asked if there was anyone in America that was willing to help, and we said 'How could we not?' He joined our family and started having his surgeries as soon as possible," Vicky said. "I can remember at the age of two, he had major heart surgery. There was an older gentleman who had pretty much the same surgery as Sam. We heard his wife fussin' at him, 'If that baby can do it, you can do it.'"
Other diagnoses would follow -- from epilepsy, Graves' disease, and a genetic disorder called DiGeorge Syndrome.
"At last count, we're up to 18 pills a day," Vicky said. "There's a lot, but we wouldn't change it for anything. He's one the biggest blessings in our life."
Despite the physical complications, Sam is still "all heart," and football holds a special place in it. He's been active as a team manager in school. In February, Sam and his parents had their wish fulfilled -- to go to the Super Bowl.
A few months ago, after the big game Sam also got to visit and receive a full tour of Neyland Stadium. He got to visit the media center where all the post-game press conferences were held and even had his name lit up in lights on the jumbotron. When asked who Sam's favorite football player was, he confidently said, "Josh Dobbs," without missing a beat.
Sam is coaching anchor Robin Wilhoit in the Anchor Games. Robin joined him for the Neyland tour.
As the day came to a close, Sam along with his family stepped onto the playing field. After looking around for a moment, Sam joked that his family could just leave him at Neyland Stadium.
"You guys go on home, I'll be here. This is my new home," Sam said.
Soon after Sam's declaration, Josh Dobbs walked onto the field, shaking Sam's hand and asking him how he was.
"You think you can come to Rocky Top and not say what's up?" Dobbs said.
Sam seemed almost too stunned to speak as his favorite player stood in front of him. Dobbs asked Sam what his favorite part of the trip to Neyland was. Sam once again responded without missing a beat and said that being on the field was the most memorable part of the day.
