CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On Friday afternoon, the Charlotte Knights signed Brantlee Mumford, an 11-year-old Levine Children's Hospital patient, to a one-day contract and held a press conference to honor him.
Brantlee was diagnosed with Guillian-Barre Syndrome last fall. When he lost the ability to use his arms and legs, the 11-year-old refused to give up. He learned to walk again over the next eight months.
While he was in the hospital, he decided to participate in the Knights' annual jersey design contest.
Brantlee was chosen as the winner of the Knights' annual jersey design contest. The team will be wearing his special jerseys for Saturday's game and they will later be auctioned off for charity. The money will go towards Arts for Life, an art therapy program at Levine Children's Hospital.
His jersey includes nods to his fellow patients in the children's hospital. The letters and different colors of ribbons on the jersey sleeves represent the different diseases children are battling in the hospital. Brantlee said he thought of the other kids as he was creating his design.
At Saturday's game, Brantlee will be joining the Knights for pre-game activities. The first 1,500 kids that enter the gates at Truist Field will be able to get a replica of Brantlee's jersey.
For more information about tickets to Saturday's special game, click here.
