Teenage cancer survivor meets Rob Gronkowski through Make-A-Wish, will be third "Keeper of the Light" at Gillette Stadium
FOXBORO -- Rob Gronkowski made plenty of great memories at Gillette Stadium throughout his NFL career. On Thursday, the former Patriots tight end was back to help create an unforgettable memory for a 14-year-old cancer survivor and his family.
Gronk hosted Joseph "Jake" Drake of Melbourne Beach, Florida and his family at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. Drake underwent treatment for an optic nerve tumor, which forced him to miss the majority of his school year last year. But that battle with cancer didn't slow down his studies, as Drake still graduated from the eighth grade as an honors student earlier this year. His cancer is now in remission.
To celebrate, Drake wanted to meet Gronkowski, and the folks at Make-A-Wish made it happen. Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida worked with Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the two sides were able to bring Drake and his family to New England.
Drake's love for sports is a family deal, as his father, David, was a kicker at Boston College. And whenever the younger Drake would play some backyard football with his family, he'd always pretend to be Gronkowski hauling in passes and throwing down celebratory spikes.
Drake got a first-hand lesson on how to do those spikes from Gronkowski on Thursday, as he and his family joined the future Hall of Famer at Splittsville Luxury Lanes at Patriot Place. The Drakes also got to enjoy lunch with Gronkowski and received plenty of Patriots gear, which they'll now need this weekend.
After their fun on the lanes, Gronk had another surprise waiting for Jake and his family: Tickets and a VIP experience for Sunday's Patriots-Saints game at Gillette Stadium. That experience will be much more than just getting to hit the field before the game and watch the action in the stands.
On Sunday, Drake will be only the third-ever "Keeper of the Light" at Gillette, ringing the ceremonial bell atop the new lighthouse in the end zone before of kickoff. Drake follows Tom Brady and Kenny Chesney as the first "Keepers of the Light" at Gillette.
We'll see if Gronk sticks around this weekend to give Drake a hand atop the lighthouse.
Gronkowski is no stranger to these incredible Make-A-Wish stories, granting 17 wishes on his own while participating in dozens more during his NFL career. In 2019, he was honored by Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island as the organization's Wish Hero Award recipient.
