BRUNSWICK, Ohio — Mick McGinnis has been known to the Brunswick Blue Devils for years.
The middle schooler absolutely loves the high school basketball team, and is often there to cheer them on. However, had to take a break as he battled leukemia, but Friday night, they gave him a welcome back to remember.
"The fact that we're here, through our journey, we've still got a long way to go," Mick's father Mike said, "but the fact that we're here and able to do this is absolutely outstanding, and this community has been incredible for us."
Honorary team captain and starter for the night, Mick McGinnis will tell you he's a warrior fighting leukemia, and he's got a whole team behind him.
"Mick has been through a lot over the past year, and we just want him to know we're thinking about him, we're pulling for him, we're praying for him," Brunswick boys basketball coach Joe Mackey told 3News.
It's a team Mick has been supportive of since he was little.
"Every time we checked into the hospital, we brought a nerf basketball hoop with us, because we used it as a distraction and a way to get up and get moving and get out of bed," Mike said.
For Mick, his enthusiasm for the Blue Devils grows with him. That's why it was an obvious choice for them to recognize their warrior and biggest fan by making him part of the team.
It's something they plan to carry on in the future with the budding basketball manager.
"We can't wait until we get him up here [going to the high school]," Mackey declared. "He's going to be a full-time manager for us, and we can't wait until the day we see him throughout the whole school day and not just basketball games."
On this night, Mick also proved to be Brunswick's good luck charm, as the boys beat rival Strongsville 52-47.