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When 10-year-old Taylor Austin Deckard saw Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton standing by his hospital bed on Tuesday, the Phenix City youngster hopped up to wrap his arms around the former Auburn star for a long embrace.
Video of the hug has captured hearts around the world via social and mainstream media. For Newton, the moment was genuinely touching and hard to describe.
"You can't really explain it," Newton said, "and just for a child, my heart falls for a child in any situation, and I was just there to comfort him, and I don't know, man, it was just something that happened naturally. He's a person that's full of joy, full of energy, and it's sad what he's going through. But I was just happy to be there just to witness that."
Earlier this month, the fifth-grader at Lakewood Elementary School in Phenix City was diagnosed with advanced pulmonary hypertension, a life-threatening disease with no cure currently. He's been at the Henrietta Egleston Hospital for Children in Atlanta since.
On Tuesday, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was an MVP again -- not of the NFL this time, but for a Phenix City youngster.
Newton talked about his experience with Deckard and his family during his weekly press conference with Panthers media on Wednesday. Newton said he found inspiration in the Deckards.
"I'm looking at a strong man in Timothy, who will not let his son see him bat an eye," Newton said. "He has all the words to say. He has all the comfort to give. And his mom is just as strong as he is and is there for their son. And like I say, it inspires me because I have kids and plan on being that rock for them. No matter what the situation is - good, bad or indifferent -- they have to be able to have something or someone they can look to or depend on to say, 'Everything's going to be all right' and them believe it.
"I looked at a young man yesterday. He doesn't know what the future holds. We don't even know what the future holds. But when he looked at his dad and he looked at his mom, he just knew that everything's going to be all right."
Deckard's father is a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia. During his press conference, Newton said if Timothy Deckard was watching, he admired and loved the youngster's father.
"The energy that he had it was so contagious," Newton said of Taylor. "For a person to be going through what he's going through, I kind of got that feel that everything was good. Was up in the hospital room shooting Nerf guns, and then just as soon as everything was going good, just like that, he kind of didn't feel so good. And from a person who has kids, I can only imagine as a parent, as a father, what Mr. Timothy is going through right now."
Newton learned about the youngster's health problems and a wish to meet him after Deckard's physical-education teacher, Courtney Cooper, made a Facebook post on Dec. 20. Cooper asked for prayers for the student and also sought help via social media in letting Newton know that Deckard had said he wished the football star could come to his birthday party in February.
"A person who created a big splash over social media, Facebook, Twitter, Instragram," Newton said, "and I tell you no lie, people were calling me up. A person of my magnitude, I pay people to make sure that my number is not easy to get out, and I was hearing voice messages left and right. People were leaving messages on my phone as if I leaked it or whatever, and I told (Deckard) his impact has been felt to so many people, and for me to have the opportunity, I was just thankful that I had the time to do it."
Newton chartered a plane to make the visit. He was back on the practice field in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, although he was listed on the Panthers' injury report as a limited participant because of right-shoulder soreness that has bothered him all month.
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Carolina has a 6-9 record heading into Sunday's regular-season finale after going to the Super Bowl last season. Newton said while the on-the-field year has been disappointing, off-the-field moments such as Tuesday's, help to add perspective.
"The big picture is he wanted something, and proper people put it in place for that to happen," Newton said, "and I was just lucky enough to grant a person a wish. And if I'm able to shine light on anybody that's not doing anything negative, I'm all for it, and if I have the opportunity to do it, I will do it."
Newton said he planned to keep tabs on Deckard's progress.
"I'm still praying about a speedy recovery for Taylor and the Deckard family," Newton said.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help with the child's medical expenses.
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