For his request to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, 12-year-old football fan John Sperring hoped to meet Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. “He’s a very humble player and always puts God first in his interviews,” Sperring said of the 23-year-old pro athlete. Earlier this summer, that wish came true for Sperring—who, like Stroud, is an outspoken Christian.
Sperring was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, has had three surgeries, and might yet require a heart transplant. In a recent “My Wish” segment, ESPN’s “SportsCenter” profiled Sperring and highlighted the strong spiritual bond between him and Stroud. The quarterback was visibly moved by Sperring’s childlike faith.
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‘You’re a Great Christian,’ Fan Tells CJ Stroud
After John Sperring was born, a helicopter whisked him away for open-heart surgery at another hospital. A nurse told the baby’s parents their son would be back in 30 minutes, “and then they never brought him back,” mom Miriam Sperring recalled.
Despite numerous complications, John Sperring maintains a positive attitude, his family said. When an ESPN reporter asked the 12-year-old what made him strong enough to get through all the operations, he replied, “Just praying to God that he would heal me quick and I could get back.”
Sperring, a Dallas native, is a big sports fan, but his heart condition has prevented him from participating in athletics. While staying at a Houston hospital, he could see the Texans’ NRG Stadium out his window. In June, the nonprofit organization Make-a-Wish arranged for John to receive a VIP tour of that facility from Stroud himself.
Sperring received his own locker and jersey, met other players and head coach DeMeco Ryans, and posed for pictures with various Texans. The young fan even signed a one-day honorary contract with the team.
Later, while riding a golf cart together, Stroud asked Sperring why the 12-year-old was a Houston fan. After mentioning his hospital view of the stadium, Sperring told the QB another reason is that “you’re a great Christian.”
Stroud, who began tearing up, replied, “Thank you, I’m trying, bro…My dad was a pastor, so he taught me a lot.”
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Stroud grew up in poverty, and when he was in middle school, his father began serving a lengthy prison sentence. In 2015, the elder Stroud pleaded guilty to charges of carjacking, kidnapping, robbery, and misdemeanor sexual battery. The former pastor remains in prison, and C.J. Stroud has used his platform to call for criminal justice reform.
CJ Stroud Praises ‘Childlike Faith’ of Make-a-Wish Honoree
Later during John Sperring’s time at the Texans’ minicamp, C.J. Stroud presented him with a customized jersey. On it, the QB had written “praying for you buddy,” plus Scriptures that he told Sperring “made me think of you.” Those verses included Psalm 34:15-18, which promise that the Lord is “close to the brokenhearted.”
