Tragedy-Stricken Teenager Drills Half Court Shot To Win Entire 76ers Stadium Free Chick-Fil-A

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Nothing gets a sold out crowd going like a fan who just won everyone Chick-Fil-A. During halftime of the 76ers game Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center, 17-year-old Mike Shelly was tasked with making a layup, a free throw, an NBA three-pointer, and a half court shot in 45 seconds. No small feat.

After getting held up at the charity stripe and three-point line, Shelly eventually drilled advanced to the half court line, 94 feet away from the hoop. On his first heave, he banked it home, winning all 21,000 people in attendance that night a free Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit.

I’m thinking the same thing you are: it sucks this dude wasn’t playing for actual money and had to play Santa Claus. Especially considering what the dude has been through.

According to Philly.com, At 14, Shelly was diagnosed with a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and just three months ago, he lost his big brother, Andrew, in a car accident. Jesus.

But the tragedies weren’t the reasons Shelly got the opportunity to compete, it was random luck. Out of more than 14,300 Sixers season ticket holders, Shelly’s dad was chosen at random to take the shot during a TV timeout. He passed along the opportunity to his son, who brought the entire stadium to its feet.

When Chris Heck, president of business operations for the 76ers, caught wind of what Shelly’s been through via an email following the game, the 76ers invited Shelly to sit courtside at Monday night’s game against the Utah Jazz and ring the ceremonial pregame bell. Further, he was presented a customized jersey by Markelle Fultz and invited to fly on the team’s plane in March to a game in Atlanta.

Andrew’s mom, Melissa, had this to say:

“This is something for us to be thankful for and to see how happy my son is and everybody rallying around him. Just means the world to him and just gives us hope and I know he has a Guardian Angel on his shoulder. Hs brother Andrew is with him.”

Good to post a feel good story as we head into Thanksgiving weekend.

[h/t Philly.com]

Matt Keohan Avatar
Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.