A six-year-old Korean Canadian boy who battled lymphoma finally got to hold the hand of his hero, Son Heung-min—a moment his family says they will cherish forever.
The bridge of hope was built by the Los Angeles-based Major League Soccer (MLS) team LAFC and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to granting wishes for children with critical illnesses.
On February 21, during the MLS season opener between LAFC and Inter Miami, Senoch Oh, 6, walked onto the pitch hand-in-hand with Son as an escort kid—creating a memory that will last a lifetime.
According to his parents, Yoonseok Oh and Bi Shin, Senoch was diagnosed with lymphoma in September 2024 and endured months of treatment before being declared cancer-free in February of the following year. But just months later, in September, doctors warned of a possible recurrence—forcing the family to confront despair once again.
“It felt like receiving a death sentence,” the couple said in an interview with The Korea Daily on February 21. “After so many close calls, all we wished for was to live an ordinary life together as a family.”
The Oh family lives in Ottawa, Canada. Wanting to celebrate their son’s resilience, the parents decided to take him to a soccer match. A devoted fan of Son Heung-min, Senoch dreamed of seeing the MLS opener featuring Son and Lionel Messi. What awaited them in Los Angeles far exceeded that dream—a series of moments the family describes as “unbelievable surprises.”
The journey began with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The family submitted Senoch’s wish to attend the match, and the organization granted it.
“We were told that in some cases families share part of the cost,” Oh said. “But they contacted us to say they would cover the entire trip to Los Angeles. We were already grateful to attend the game—this level of support was overwhelming.”
And the miracles did not stop there.
On February 20, the day before the match, Oh received a phone call from LAFC. The team invited Senoch and his older brother, Aidric, 10, to serve as escort kids during the game.
The escort-kids tradition began during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup as a FIFA campaign promoting respect for children and spreading a message of peace worldwide.
Shin described the entire experience as “a chain of miracles.”
That night, Senoch’s wish came true. Hand in hand with Son Heung-min, he walked onto the field before more than 70,000 fans. His brother, Aidric, entered alongside Denis Bouanga, who is often referred to by fans as part of the ‘Heung-Bou Duo’ with Son.
“We only hoped for a healthy, ordinary life,” Oh said, visibly emotional. “After enduring such a painful time, we were given a moment that felt like a gift from heaven.”
LAFC said on February 22 that following the escort ceremony, Senoch and Aidric also met players from the team. The day before the match, on February 20, they toured LAFC’s home ground, BMO Stadium, alongside LAFC defender Aaron Long.
For one family, it was more than a soccer match—it was a reminder that hope can arrive when it is needed most.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
