Sebastian’s Wish

Austin FC grants local soccer fan the ultimate experience

By Austin FC

June 17^th, 2024

On May 7, 13-year-old Sebastian Hernandez was signed as the newest honorary player, making him only the second in the Club’s history. With the support of St. David’s Healthcare, Austin FC and Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas granted Sebastian’s wish to meet and train with Austin FC.

Sebastian’s wish journey with the Club began when he received a short video from Austin FC’s forward, Jon Gallagher, personally inviting him to visit the St. David’s Performance Center for a chance to meet the team. Unbeknownst to him, Sebastian was about to receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

When Sebastian and his family arrived at Austin FC’s training facility, they were welcomed by the front office staff and given a breakdown of what to expect for the day. Tim Weaver, Director of Team Operations, escorted him into the dining hall where he befriended the team chef, enjoyed a hearty breakfast, and was greeted by a handful of the first team players.

After fueling up for the morning, Sebastian made his way into the boardroom where he had the first big surprise of the day; he was being signed as the Club’s 2024 honorary player. Both head coach, Josh Wolff, and Sporting Director, Rodolfo Borrell, met with Sebastian to sign the contract and make things official. "Austin FC is extremely privileged to welcome Sebastian to our Verde family", said Trennis Jones, Vice President of Community Impact.

“Sebastian’s strength, with the backing of his amazing family, is a sight to behold. Sports has a universal power to bring joy and we’re honored to be a part of that.”

Weaver echoed these sentiments by saying, “We are honored that Seba chose us to grant this wish and we look forward to creating more memories for him, his family and others in the future."

From there, the day continued with a tour of the facility which included a stop in the locker room. Sebastian turned the corner to find a locker of his very own that was adorned with personalized warmups. Smiling ear-to-ear as he laced up his new boots, Sebastian couldn’t wait to get outside to train with the team.

Sebastian took the field and joined the guys for warmups and a few drills.

“Sebastian fit right in with the guys. He instantly lit a smile on all our players’ faces. It was an honor making him feel like one of our players.”

“Having Austin FC and Make-A-Wish grant him this opportunity made me feel so happy for Seb. I got to see my little boy realize this incredible dream after such a difficult time. He overcame extreme circumstances to be here today and getting to knock this off his list of things achieved just makes me feel elated for him. He had the best time and his smile never wavered while supporting the team he loves!”, said Sebastian’s mom, Tiffany Albarez.

Sebastian’s wish didn’t end there. The Club invited him back for the match versus Sporting KC on Saturday, May 18th. When he arrived at Q2 Stadium, Sebastian was given the full Verde treatment. He entered through the match day player entrance and was escorted to the first team locker room where his personalized kit was waiting for him.

He suited up and walked out the tunnel and was greeted by a group of his closest friends and family that were excited to cheer him on during his personal warmups on the pitch.

“There was a moment when Seb was warming up on the pitch, I looked over to his mom and she started to cry about how he is finally able to do what he loves again, play soccer, and how Austin FC made his ‘welcome back’ to soccer so special and memorable.”

After his warmups, Sebastian cooled down in the locker room, put on his custom kit, and got ready for the rest of the night. "We enjoyed having Sebastian be a part of Austin FC,” said Weaver. “Even though it was only a couple days, he will be part of our club for life.”

He then walked out to the center of the pitch and joined Sebastian Driussi as that night’s Honorary Captain. Sebastian made his way back to his club seats where he watched the first half with his family. Wanting to be a bit more in the action, Sebastian joined the Supporters and La Murga in the South End for the second half of the match. This is where he saw the team secure another three points and get the win over Sporting KC.