By AJ Dome/Manhattan Mercury
A Manhattan boy with a rare liver condition recently got a rare opportunity to meet the Kansas City Chiefs.
The football organization welcomed 13-year-old Jude Fairchild to watch the Chiefs practice and join their team huddle May 28. Fairchild received a liver transplant last summer and has continued to receive treatment for his rare disease called progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 1, or PFIC-1, which is estimated to affect just 1 in 50,000 to 100,000 people worldwide.
Fairchild’s liver was not absorbing nutrients properly, which was stunting his growth and compromising his immune system. The liver acts as a filtration system for the body’s blood, removing bile and other toxins as it soaks in vitamins. Because of PFIC-1, Fairchild always will look a bit jaundiced because of bile in his blood.
In a video posted to the Chiefs Facebook page, head coach Andy Reid introduced Fairchild to the team.
“Don’t hold it against him; he’s a K-State fan,” Reid said joking. “And most of all, a big Chiefs fan. He’s going to break us down. I’ve kind of coached him up, and we’re going to see how he does, right Jude?”
Fairchild next greeted quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Reid can be heard on the video whispering to Fairchild to call out a countdown before shouting “Chiefs” with the team. Mahomes gave Fairchild a fist-bump.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones also chatted with Fairchild, joking with him in the video that he needs to change the first number of his No. 15 Mahomes jersey.
“You got to get a No. 9 (jersey) right there; got to get rid of that one, OK? I got you,” Jones said.
Players also presented Fairchild with a game-used football. The video ends with Reid hugging Fairchild and complimenting his sunglasses.
Jude Fairchild’s mother, Raven Fairchild, wrote in a text message to The Mercury that Reid was a “big sweetheart teddy bear,” and that Jones “went extra with Jude,” speaking with him the longest and giving Jude his gamer handle to find him in the online video game “Fortnite.”
Damon Fairchild, Jude’s father, said former K-State players and current Chiefs players Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Phillip Brooks also spent a long time talking with Jude and his family.
Damon said he thanks the family of former K-State defensive line coach Mo Latimore for the connection. Through Latimore’s wife, the Fairchilds’ story made its way to Reid, who worked as a coach with Latimore at the University of Missouri in the late 1980s. After a quick text message exchange, Reid agreed to host Jude at a practice.
“The Chiefs are a first-class organization, just phenomenal,” Damon Fairchild said. “It was, by all accounts, a wonderful day. We’re forever grateful for it.”
Damon works as the senior director of development for the KSU Foundation. He said the greater Manhattan community has been gracious with his family as Jude battles his rare disease.
“Jude has his good days and bad days, and this was a great day,” he said. “Just four hours of pure joy.
