Bailey Phillips lived one of the best days of her life all over again on July 23, 2026, when her eight-minute segment aired nationally as part of ESPN’s “My Wish” series, chronicling her ultimate Tennessee football gameday with the Vols. Talk about a moment, right? Make-A-Wish East Tennessee even threw a watch party at The Wishing Place, powered by JTV, so Bailey could be surrounded by family and friends as she relived it all.
From a Tough Diagnosis to an Unforgettable Experience
This isn’t just a feel-good football story, folks, it’s a saga of true grit. Bailey, a 16-year-old from Powell, was diagnosed with cystinosis as an infant, a genetic disorder that builds crystals throughout the body. Her mother, April Phillips, remembers doctors saying “rare and incurable,” and they knew a kidney transplant was coming. By August 2024, Bailey’s kidneys had stopped working, putting her on home dialysis. Her grandfather, John Rosser, organized a prayer chain of close to 20,000 people. Within two months, a matching kidney was found, and Bailey received her transplant that fall at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Can you believe it? Doctors told the family the kidney started working before the surgery even finished! She walked out of the hospital five days later. This kid is absolutely incredible.
The Game Day That Blew Everyone Away
Before her big day on September 20, Bailey had never even been to a Vols game. So, Make-A-Wish East Tennessee pulled out all the stops for her. The reveal came at Ridgeview Baptist Church, where Smokey the mascot surprised her with a letter from Coach Josh Heupel himself, inviting Bailey and her family to the game against UAB. The day before the game, Bailey got the full Neyland Stadium tour, met coaches, and was introduced to the players by Heupel. He even handed her a custom jersey with No. 6, matching her favorite player, quarterback Joey Aguilar. But get this: she also painted a corner of Neyland Stadium’s famous checkerboard end zone! On game day, she walked her own shortened Vol Walk, watched the real one from inside the barricades, then finished her walk into the stadium, and helped lead the Pride of the Southland Band through “Rocky Top.” The Vols ended up winning 56-24, with Joey Aguilar throwing for 218 yards and three touchdowns. And guess what? One of those scores, a 39-yard blast by wide receiver Mike Matthews, landed right in the end zone corner Bailey had painted just a day earlier! Bailey said meeting Aguilar and the team was probably her favorite part, and honestly, who could blame her?
What an amazing story, right? Garrett Wagley, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish East Tennessee, totally gets it, saying the ESPN partnership gives wishes like Bailey’s a national stage. This wasn’t just a game day for Bailey, it was a moment the whole country got to cheer for, showing everyone what true grit and community can do. What an absolute legend.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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