When he was just 3-years-old, Niko was already dreaming of becoming a professional hockey player. At fifteen years old, these dreams were crushed with a diagnosis of bone cancer and a surgery to replace his knee and femur with titanium. In February, guests at our 2025 Winter Ball were charmed by seeing him on stage and hearing him talk about his new passion – golf! The game of golf has allowed this resilient teen to shift his focus to learning a new sport that he could take on, and he’s already told us he’s working towards a handicap of FOUR! Just last week, Niko’s wish for an in-home golf simulator became a reality, thanks to a generous contribution from Foresight Sports. A huge thank you also goes to Quick Links Golf for going the extra mile by visiting Niko’s home, ensuring the simulator was set up perfectly, and graciously donating the installation. Niko, we can’t wait to hear more from you and see how long it takes you to reach that 4 handicap! Arnold Palmer once said, “Success in golf depends less on strength of body and more on strength of mind and character.” If that’s true, Niko is already the best golfer we know!
Click the video below to see how we surprised Niko on-stage! Thanks to Clay Matvick, Tom Reid, Robb Stauber, Nate Prosser and Jared Spurgeon for helping us surprise this great kid!
