Gators to welcome special guest Gavin Lambert at tonight's season opener
Saturday, August 30, 2014 | Football, Men's Swimming & Diving, Scott Carter
VIDEO: Gavin Lambert, a guest at Florida's season opener, at a recent Tampa Bay Rays game.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Gators are playing host to a special guest on Saturday night.
And no, we're not talking about Idaho.
His name is Gavin Lambert, an 8-year-old from New Port Richey. Lambert suffers from a rare neuromuscular disorder known as Friedreich's Ataxia (FA). The disease is found in about one in 50,000 people in the U.S.
Lambert's fight against the disease has inspired many people, including Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon.
Maddon met Lambert earlier this year at a Tampa Bay-area charity event and invited him to a Rays game. The day was one that Lambert and his family will always remember.
"His experience with the Rays was incredible,'' Gavin's mom, Dawn Lambert, said via email. "We found out Coach Maddon cycles, so we had a jersey made for him, just like the one Gavin wears while riding his trike!"
Not only did Gavin get to spend time with Maddon, he met several Rays players, including third baseman Evan Longoria.
He is looking forward to a similar experience today at The Swamp. Gavin and his family are scheduled to take a tour of the Gators' locker room and stand on the field during pregame warmups.
"We are so excited and are looking forward to an amazing event,'' Dawn Lambert said.
Gavin's struggle with FA prompted the family to document their journey with a website. You can learn more about the disease and Gavin's life with it by visiting kickinfa.com.
Meanwhile, if you bump into Gavin at tonight's game, give him a high-five. He has earned it.
