This also made me cry...click on the link and check out the photos they're what made me cry...that little boy is precious!
From our local paper this morning...
Love for young fan's as big as a house
Charlotte Checkers, with help from the community, raise money to buy home for boy and his family.
By Elisabeth Arriero
earriero@charlotteobserver.com
Posted: Saturday, Apr. 09, 2011
The hometown hockey team paid back a little boy's loyalty and then some Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena.
After months of fundraising, the Charlotte Checkers raised enough money to buy a home for one of their biggest fans, Zach Bennett, 11, and his family. At a ceremony before Friday's game, the Checkers presented the family with keys to the house.
The Albany, N.Y., resident, who has a degenerative disease known as neurofibromatosis, has been a fan of the Checkers since they were known as the Albany River Rats.
The River Rats relocated to Charlotte last year. Several months ago, the Bennetts decided to follow their team to Charlotte when they realized the city is home to specialists who treat Zach's disorder.
Zach has had both of his legs amputated because of his disorder, which causes soft-tissue tumors to grow on nerves.
But a stubborn real estate market and a lack of money left the family grounded in Albany.
Then in January, Checkers players, coaches and staff - many of who knew the Bennetts from Albany - decided to expedite a reunion.
With the help of jersey auctions, fan support and numerous fundraisers, the dream was realized on March 22.
That's when the Charlotte Checkers closed on a three-bedroom, ranch-style home in Matthews for the Bennetts.
"There were a series of unbelievable coincidences that allowed this to happen," said Tera Black, chief operating officer for the Checkers. "It's absolutely perfect for all their needs."
Unlike their old home, the Matthews home is handicap accessible, thanks to donated remodeling work by Timberstone Homes of Charlotte. It's also located near a shopping center - a feature that was paramount for Zach's mom, Danielle, who also has neurofibromatosis.
Zach's room makes up for the year in which he was apart from his beloved team.
From the hockey table converted into a desk to the hockey sticks above his bed, there's no denying the deep bond between Zach and the Checkers.
"It's gone to a higher level now," said Zach's father, Randy Bennett. "We had a relationship with them there in Albany, but I think our relationship here surpassed that by 1,000 times."
Added Zach: "They're just like my brothers."
For a family that has faced hardships over the years, the Bennetts finally caught another break over the last few weeks.
The Bennetts sold their Albany house within days of the Checkers closing on their new home in Charlotte.
And thanks to donations the team received during its fundraising drive, the Bennetts won't have to haul their old furniture to North Carolina. Their Charlotte home has brand-new furniture.
"Everything just fell into place," said Danielle Bennett. "We were thrilled."
Right wing Brad Herauf said that helping the Bennetts relocate to Charlotte wouldn't have been possible without the team's fans.
"It's really a tribute to the people of Charlotte," Herauf said. "It's great to see the love of all people coming together to make a situation right."
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...as-big-as.html