Girl practices with Panthers as part of Make A Wish Foundation

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis was with Kyleigh Dean through the Make A Wish Foundation at practice Thursday.

“I've always liked defense and he's, like, the defense master,” Kyleigh said.

Kyleigh suffers from congenital generalized lipodystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that affects one in 10 million people worldwide.

“I have two young girls of my own at home and I try to encourage them to do and be whatever they want to be,” Davis said. “That’s why it was so amazing to see Kyleigh make her decision and just be a part of this day.”

It didn't take long for Kyleigh to pick up on the nuances of the position.

“(I) talked to her about what we do on defense,” Davis said. “We talk trash to Cam Newton all practice long, and he came up to her and she stuck to it. She asked him a question, ‘Why are you so salty?’ So, I absolutely loved that.”

The Panthers frequently host Make A Wish Foundation children and it’s important to head coach Ron Rivera that each guest gets the full attention they deserve from his players.

“I really do believe that its good for our players to understand what it means to these fans to these families, to these children,” Rivera said.

It is important for Davis to make the experience for Kayleigh as memorable as possible after everything she has been through.

“You definitely want to make sure that, when you get a chance to spend time with her, it’s a special day and that’s what we tried to do for her today,” Davis said.

Cox Media Group