Big Blue Nation fell in love with Heidi earlier this season, when Kentucky men's basketball head coach Mark Pope asked her to join him on the post-game radio show. Her infectious smile and love for the Wildcats came through over the air, as Heidi delivered the perfect "Go Cats!"
The exchange exploded on social media. It was the cherry on top of Heidi's season-long love of Kentucky basketball, dating back to when a group of Cats visited her in the hospital over the summer. In that first meeting, Andrew Carr's advice to "stay strong, no matter what you're going through" resonated with both Heidi and her mother, Kristen.
"That put a smile on her face," Kristen told BBN Tonight. "That short little message right there really meant something."
The Collins family held that message close as she continued to frequent the Kentucky Children's Hospital. A few months later, she was invited to a team practice and a home game as the "Kid of Game," which turned into an unforgettable experience that kept the smiles coming.
"I loved it. It was like the best day of my life"
Story by Maggie Davis and Nick Lazaroff, for BBN Tonight. Click here for more.
For more on the Kentucky basketball team, watch BBN Tonight weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18.
