Following the New York Rangers’ game against the Maple Leafs on Thursday night, an 18-year-old fan got a surprise from one of his favorite players. The Rangers have a tradition of gifting game-worn jerseys to some lucky fans in attendance at the conclusion of the regular season, but Isaiah Márquez-Greene got a lot more than that from captain Jacob Trouba.
Trouba pulled the fan aside to sign the jersey for him. Márquez-Greene was happy and ready to say goodbye before Trouba told him to take a seat so they could talk more.
“You have an amazing story. I feel for you,” Trouba said to Márquez-Greene before asking what he wanted to do after graduating high school. “You are an amazing human.”
Márquez-Greene told Trouba he wanted to be a lawyer, and then Trouba surprised him with the Garden of Dreams Inspire Scholarship to help him graduate law school debt-free. Trouba also gave him his personal phone number to make sure they could stay in touch.
“I want an invitation for when you graduate law school,” Trouba said. “And I’m gonna check in on you when you go to college next year.”
Márquez-Greene is a survivor of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, when he was eight years old. His sister, then 6-year-old Ava Grace, was one of the 26 victims.
Last year, Márquez-Greene shared a note that he wrote for his younger self reflecting on the impact of his sister’s death, but also on what he has been able to do with his life. He said his parents let him be a kid, but also pushed him to have big dreams.
Márquez-Greene told himself on that note that he is going to be more than just a survivor from a tragic event. Now, he is getting ready for the next chapter and is going to the University of Connecticut.
“You’re amazing buddy. I’m looking forward to what you accomplish in life,” Trouba told Márquez-Greene. “You have a lot ahead of you.”
