Good News Wednesday: The Powerful Pro-Life Story of Tim Tebow’s Friend Mario

Tim Tebow and Mario
Tim Tebow and friend Mario.
Screencap via the Tim Tebow Foundation.

The Tim Tebow Foundation recently shared a heartwarming story on its Facebook page about the former NFL quarterback’s recent meeting with an adorable fan named Mario.

Mario was born two months premature and as a result has battled numerous health issues throughout his life. But as the video notes, Mario maintains a positive attitude and says he ‘likes the way God made him.’

He was clearly excited to meet Tebow, who has a pretty amazing pro-life story of his own:

[Pam] Tebow and her husband were Christian missionaries in the Philippines in 1985 and they prayed for β€œTimmy” before she became pregnant.

Pam entered into a coma after she contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in a contaminated food or drink. The treatment for the medical condition would require strong medications that doctors told Pam had caused irreversible damage to Tim β€” so they advised her to have an abortion.

The doctors believed there was danger to Pam and that the baby would not survive, or if he did, would have very serious problems. His parents went to the best doctor in their area of the Philippines. The doctor told his mother in a slow monotone that β€œAn abortion is the only way to save your life.”

As Tim says in his book, β€œAccording to [the doctor], the β€˜mass of fetal tissue’ or β€˜tumor’—meβ€”had to go.”

Tebow refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted.

The video shows that Tim and Mario played games, road the rides, and palled around for three hours.

Mario's Surprise W15H with Tim Tebow

So AMAZING to watch Tim Tebow surprise our new W15H friend, Mario, at Disneyland. Mario is an incredible example of resiliency and perseverance… His love for life is contagious!

Posted by Tim Tebow Foundation on Thursday, November 30, 2017

What an amazing young man, one who manages to put things in perspective for so many with a bright smile, infectious giggle, and big heart. God bless you, Mario.

And to Tim Tebow, thank you for continuing to be a positive role model for young and old alike. We need many more like you.

To learn more about his W15H Program, which provides children with life-threatening illnesses the chance to meet Tebow, click here.