2nd Annual Athletes and Honorees
Shining Star Honorees
Jacob Mukalian
Not due until October 25th, Jacob’s premature birth on June 28th led to a four and a half month stay in Abington Hospital. A blood infection as well as breathing issues prohibited him from even being held for over a month. While Jacob would eventually pull through, his twin sister Kayla sadly passed away at one week old. Jacob and his family keep her alive in their hearts. Now 9 years old and a third-grader at Uwchlan Hills Elementary School, Jacob holds a first degree black-belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Jacob was given a VIP tour of the Philadelphia Eagles practice facility, the NovaCare Complex, by former Eagles star Ike Reese. This incredible opportunity to see behind the scenes and meet all of the current Eagles players was a dream come true for Jacob and a day he’ll not soon forget.
Jake Koerner
Born 15 weeks premature and given only a 25% chance of survival, Jake Koerner was moved to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and would spend the next 87 days there. The ensuing roller coaster ride included surgeries to fix his heart, vision problems, and countless blood transfusions. Today, Jake is a healthy and happy 13 year-old who loves reading, participates in student council, and earns straight-As.
Jake participates in different sports every season and was grateful to meet with Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick prior to a game this season. The experience included a tour of the clubhouse, press room, bullpen, as well as the opportunity to go in the batting cages while players practiced. By the end of the day, Jake had autographs from Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez, Hunter Pence and MORE! After their tour, the Koerner family was treated to 4 tickets to that night’s game.
Jonas & Lily Vasquez
Lily and Jonas Vasquez were born 100 days premature, and went on to spend 115 and 143 days in Abington Hospital’s intensive newborn care unit respectively. Lily required surgery for Grade-4 bleeding of the brain, and shortly after, Jonas underwent emergency surgery for a perforated bowel. Both procedures were conducted at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. After successfully enduring these and many other procedures, Lily and Jonas are now 4 years old and bring immense joy to their parents each day.
Jonas and Lily were given a VIP tour of the Sixers practice facility by assistant coach Aaron McKie. After an exciting day on the court with Sixers stars, taking in the glitz and glamour of the television cameras, and seeing the high flying dunks of the Sixers Flight Squad, the Vasquez family were given tickets to see the Sixers live in action at the Wells Fargo Center.
Kate Santangelo
Prior to being born, Kate Santangelo was diagnosed with Spina Bifida, a defect leaving an opening in the spinal cord. An experimental in-utero surgery was successfully conducted while Kate weighed only 12 ounces. Fifteen weeks later Kate was born, weighing 6 lbs 1 oz and spent the next two weeks being monitored in The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia NICU before being released to her thrilled parents. Despite still being paralyzed below the knees and suffering from dislocated hips, Kate has overcome this to participate in a variety of activities including soccer, cheerleading, swimming, softball and musical theatre. In addition to her incredible determination, 10-year-old Kate is a very happy, loving, and spirited girl who warms the hearts of everyone she meets.
Kate had the chance to meet with Flyers right winger Max Talbot and watch the team’s morning practice. Kate and her family will also be attending an upcoming game at the Wells Fargo Center in the Comcast SportsNet suite.
Shining Star Presenting Athletes
Kyle Kendrick
Since debuting with an impressive (10-5) record as a rookie in 2007 for the Phillies, Kyle Kendrick has proven himself to be a versatile piece of the Phillies pitching staff. This past season Kendrick contributed significantly both as a starter and a reliever. Kyle began the year out of the bullpen, but was called upon to make 15 appearances as a starter, overall going (8-6) with a 3.22 ERA. His critical ability to perform wherever needed has helped fuel the Phillies continued success.
Blair Betts
Although Philadelphia Flyers center Blair Betts has yet to compete during his third year as a Flyer, he continues to remain an active part of the Flyers’ organization. In the 2010-2011 season, Betts played in his 100th game as a Flyer and appeared in all 11 playoff games. Before joining the Flyers as a free-agent in 2009, Betts appeared in 258 career games with the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames. He was noted as being part of the best penalty kill duo in Rangers’ history. With his experience and strength on the ice, Betts is an important asset to the team and the Flyers look forward to his return.
Max Talbot
Midway through his first season with the Philadelphia Flyers, right winger Max Talbot has continued to show the grit and competitiveness which he is known for. Known for his excellent penalty-killing ability and defensive minded play, Talbot is currently on pace for a solid 20 goal season. Prior to becoming a Flyer, Talbot was a Stanley Cup Champion as a member of the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins. His two-goal performance in Game 7 against Detroit sealed the Stanley Cup victory for the Penguins. Talbot signed a five year deal with the Flyers following the 2010-2011 season, ensuring we will get to see his intensity and strong play on the ice for years to come.
Ike Reese
Ike Reese is regarded as one of the most beloved off-field players in Philadelphia Eagles history. A stand out linebacker, and special-teams player at Michigan State, Ike was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round of the 1998 NFL draft. During his 10-year NFL career, Ike earned the respect and admiration of players and coaches throughout the league for his work ethic and influence in the locker room. In 2004, Ike was voted Eagles Special Teams MVP, as well as Pro-Bowl and All-Pro selections as a special teamer. Since the conclusion of his playing career, Reese is best known as a sports-talk radio personality on WIP alongside Howard Eskin, and more recently Michael Barkann.
Aaron McKie
Hailing from Philadelphia, Aaron McKie attended Simon Gratz High School and later Temple University, where he was named A-10 Conference Player of the Year in 1993. After being drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft, McKie would eventually return to Philadelphia to spend 8 of his 15 NBA seasons with the 76ers. While with the team his flexible playing style made him a valuable and consistent contributor. During the Sixers’ NBA Finals-bound 2000-2001 season, McKie was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. McKie began working as a Sixers assistant coach in 2007.
