Dominic Kirksey quietly stood on the sidelines, watching the Steelers practice on Friday afternoon.
And then, the moment he wished for happened. As practice ended, player after player came over to the 16-year old and shook his hand, posed for pictures, and signed his football. And his smile got bigger by the second.
The Steelers grant the wish of a young fan from Alliance, OH.
"I like the Steelers. It's my favorite team," said Kirksey, who is from Alliance, Ohio. "This is real special."
Kirksey, who suffers from a heart condition, was a guest of the Steelers and the Make-A-Wish Foundation at practice and will also be at Sunday's game against the Browns.
But it's likely nothing will top him getting to meet the players, especially his two favorites, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown.
"I am thankful for having this wish," said Kirksey. "I get to meet the players. This is great. Just being here watching them practice, I never thought I would be this close to them."