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From Heartbreak to Happiness

From Heartbreak to Happiness

How the Warriors Helped Make a 6-Year-Old's Dream Come True

by Brian Witt

Think back to when you were 6 years old.

Dreams were big, worries were small, and your heroes were larger than life.

Isaiah Simpson and his mother Alexa McDonald know that last part all too well.

Isaiah is a diehard Warriors fan, despite the fact that he and his mother live in Snellville, Georgia, a city approximately 30 miles east of Atlanta. Just like many kids his age, Stephen Curry is his favorite basketball player. But given the fact that the Warriors and his hometown team play in different conferences, the opportunities to see his favorite team and player are severely limited.

So, when the Warriors made their lone trip of the season to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on March 6th, Alexa jumped at the chance.

Isaiah had earned the opportunity. As a precondition to see Curry and the Warriors play, Isaiah was required to improve his schoolwork, do all of his chores and generally "be a good boy." He delivered on his promises, and even saved up some of his own money in order to see his hero in action.

But when Alexa and Isaiah made their way to Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta the night of the game, they encountered what has become an all-too-familiar disappointment in the landscape of modern live entertainment. Despite arriving early and having printed tickets and an email confirmation in hand, Alexa and Isaiah were not permitted to enter the arena. The pair of tickets Alexa had purchased from a third-party vendor for nearly $600 were fraudulent.

Both mother and son were understandably devastated. Isaiah had been clamoring to see Curry play since his sixth birthday last summer, and to see him come so close before being turned away due to no fault of his own left Alexa distraught.

With wisdom well beyond his years, Isaiah attempted to deflect some of the blame.

"He said next time we'll come earlier," she said. "He told me it's okay."

Isaiah was right. Things would be okay, but not before their story was brought to light. Once they returned home, Alexa took to Facebook to share her account of the massive disappointment, and it was dispersed enough times for local TV news stations to take notice. FOX 5 TV in Atlanta proceeded to broadcast a segment of their story, and eventually word found its way to the Warriors, who felt obligated to address it.

"I'm an adult. I can brush it off and keep it moving," Alexa told Fox 5. "But you can't let a child down. So I'm definitely going to do what I need to do. Save if I have to."

The next day, a Warriors official called Alexa to share some good news. The team was offering to provide Isaiah and his mother with an all-expense-paid trip to the Bay Area to see the Dubs host the Memphis Grizzlies on March 26.

"I thought it was a prank," McDonald said.

It may have seemed too good to be true, but Alexa knew it was too awesome of an opportunity to pass up. Less than three weeks after consoling her child on the outskirts of Philips Arena, Alexa and Isaiah would make their way to Oakland where they'd get to see Curry and the Warriors like never before.

Mother and son flew to the Bay Area courtesy of United Airlines, and were put up at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco for the duration of their stay. Upon arriving at their hotel room on Saturday, they noticed it was adorned with blue and gold ribbons, while a cake bearing Curry's likeness sat on the counter. The next day, a driver chauffeured them to Oracle Arena, where Isaiah's memorable experience would be cranked up several notches.

First came a face-to-face meeting with Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr, who took great enjoyment in seeing an image of the Bay Bridge as well as the number 30 shaved into the sides of Isaiah's fresh new haircut. Dressed head to toe in Warriors and Curry garb, Isaiah and his mother soon made their way courtside, where he'd finally get to meet his hero and idol once and for all.

Isaiah's "favorite thing about Steph is watching him dribble," and he had the best seat in the house, getting an up close and personal look at Curry's unique pregame warm-up. Curry, in his typical gracious fashion, took a break from that warm-up to spend a moment with Isaiah before incorporating the young fan into his patented tunnel shot. Normally, the same security usher delivers the ball to Curry before the reigning MVP launches it from the players' tunnel toward the hoop on the near end of the court, but on Sunday, Isaiah would attempt to provide the assist.

Curry failed to convert the tunnel shot after several tries, but the process meant much more than the result. A 6-year-old boy from Snellville, Georgia had finally met and interacted with his hero.

The special experience wasn't over yet, however. Not by a long shot.

Alexa and Isaiah were soon escorted to a nearby lounge to join other ticket fraud victims in a special pregame Q&A session with NBA legend Jerry West. The game fell on Stop Fraud Night at Oracle Arena, which highlighted the organization's continuing efforts to warn fans about the potential dangers of purchasing fraudulent single-game tickets from a non-verified third party. Just in this season alone, the Warriors have seen over 1,000 fans denied entry due to counterfeit tickets.

Soon after the Q&A, it was time for tipoff, when mother and son would finally get to see Curry play in person. But their vantage point wouldn't be from the upper level. Instead, Alexa and Isaiah took in the action from directly across the court from the Dubs' bench, sitting immediately next to Warriors Owner Joe Lacob on the floor.

Just prior to tipoff, Warriors center Zaza Pachulia stopped by their seats to share a special message.

Over the next few hours, Alexa and Isaiah would take in a 106-94 Warriors' victory. Curry provided several highlights, totaling 21 points, 11 assists and five three-pointers in the contest.

Following the game, Isaiah met Curry in the tunnel. "We got the win for you," Curry said, before being the first Warriors player to sign his jersey. Minutes later, Isaiah would find himself in the Warriors' locker room, where Curry introduced the young fan to several teammates, including David West, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.

As a parting gift, Curry left Isaiah with a couple Under Armour backpacks and several pairs of his signature shoe. But the real gift – engaging with his idol on a personal level – is one that will stay with the young boy for the rest of his life, no matter how many growth spurts he goes through.

"It's his dream to see Steph Curry," Alexa conveyed. "I'm so thankful."

Although it ended up being a heartwarming story in the long run, Alexa and Isaiah's experience remains a cautionary tale for fans looking to purchase tickets to NBA games. In order to avoid a similar occurrence, those attempting to attend Warriors games are encouraged to purchase tickets directly from the team by visiting warriors.com, calling 888-GSW-HOOP or at the Oracle Arena Box Office.