OXNARD, Calif.-- When Joshua Williams showed up at Cowboys training camp, he only wanted one thing for his ninth birthday: to throw up the X with Dez Bryant.
Dez made Joshua's dream come true and a lot more.
After practice ends it's typical for players to walk over to the fence and sign autographs for fans screaming their name as they exit the field. As Dez approached the fence Tuesday, he noticed a sign being held up that read, "All I want for my birthday is to throw up the X with Dez."
Dez signed autographs for some military members attending practice, then focused his attention on the child holding the sign: Joshua.
Dez picked Joshua up and brought him to the other side of the fence. They headed out to the practice field where the two played catch for about five minutes. After they threw the ball around, Dez found a sharpie, signed the ball and gave it to Joshua.
As they were walking off the field, a throng of media circled around Joshua to interview him about his experience. Dez stayed out on the field and watched the interview.
We got some great photos of the experience and a really cool video and wanted to share them with Joshua. I went into the crowd in search of him and found Joshua and his mom, Jessica Williams. Joshua was still shaking and overcome with emotion as I asked him how cool his experience was. We exchanged information and they headed on their way.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the game, we forget how lives can be impacted off the field. Tuesday was a great reminder that football is bigger than what we see on Sundays.
Props to Dez for making a nine-year-old's dream come true today.
Dez Bryant Made A Fan's Dream Come True On His 9th Birthday
