A six-year-old Tar Heels fan and his family are cheering on the Tar Heels in Omaha in the College World Series.
“I really love Tar Heels,” said David Hill.
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David is a leukemia survivor who was matched with UNC Baseball through Team IMPACT. It is an organization that matches children with a serious illness or disabilities with a college sports team to create a long-term, life-changing experience for everyone involved.
“That meant a lot to me, because I wasn’t just alone, I was with everybody,” David said.
His father, Joshua Hill, said before David's diagnosis, the family was not huge fans.
“I didn't care either way about the big three rivalry,” Joshua said.
However, after David’s diagnosis in 2023, Joshua said he received treatment at UNC Hospital, where several of the baseball players would visit him.
“After he was diagnosed, they came in and would visit with him. they would play with him, they would sit and just talk with him during some of his chemo treatments,” Joshua said.
A feeling, David said, meant a lot to him.
“That meant a lot to me, because I wasn’t just alone, I was with everybody,” David said. “They’ve cheered me up a ton of times, and I don’t know how to pay them back.”
After UNC’s win over No. 16 West Virginia on Wednesday, Team IMPACT surprised David and his family with a trip to Omaha.
As the family watches Saturday’s game against Oklahoma, Joshua said he hopes the team knows how grateful his family is.
“We’re going to be cheering for them, because I know they’ve got this,” Joshua said.