Duck fans chip in to bring Angel to Civil War
EUGENE, Ore. -- Thirteen-year-old Angel Wilson was born with severe cerebral palsy and brain damage and is unable to talk or walk.
But for some unknown reason, her father says her eyes light up every time she sees the Oregon Ducks on TV back home in Oklahoma.
“I don’t know if it’s the football team, the football uniforms, the fans or the Oregon Duck, the mascot -- I don’t know. Whenever they are on at home, she just seems to smile, laugh and coo,” said Angel's father, Billy Wilson.
Wilson said he wrote a letter to Oregon football coach Chip Kelly asking for an autographed football from the team for Angel.
Instead, he got an autographed picture -- and a whole lot of people interested in Angel’s story.
Ryan Wolfe is a former University of Oregon student. He said when he heard Angel’s story, he was compelled to do something to get her to the Civil War game.
“When you have the opportunity to make somebody else’s life better you're supposed to take it. And you're supposed to take advantage of it if you can,” said Wolfe.
“A group of friends from an online community and I started to put something together and made a few phone calls and sent out some e-mails, and the next thing you know it just happened.”
Wolfe and others raised $3,800 dollars for Angel and her family to visit Eugene.
“It just makes me feel wonderful inside knowing that people will actually care enough to do something like this for Angel,” said Wilson.
The Wilson’s said the trip is a great getaway for Angel because she is set to have spine surgery in January.
"Hopefully tomorrow night she'll enjoy it and be able to remember it for the rest of her life," said Wilson.
