How Danielle Robinson got a game ball after OU’s win
NORMAN — Danielle Robinson’s eyes widened behind her dark-rimmed glasses, and a smile spread across her face.
Bundled up in a red toboggan, red gloves and a couple layers of jackets underneath a white No. 31 Oklahoma jersey, Danielle rolled out of the tunnel and on to Owen Field, catching her first glimpse of the Sooners up close.
With her dad pushing her wheelchair and her mom beside her, Danielle was in the thick of the pregame frenzy, just feet away from OU players bouncing with the music, warming up for their first home prime time game.
Her eyes scanned the end zone, searching for her friend, the one who made sure that she got to Norman as soon as she was healthy enough to be discharged from The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany.
With Oklahoma players everywhere, it was tough to find the other No. 31 jersey, but after the game, Danielle found her friend, again breaking out into a big smile when Ogbonnia Okoronkwo knelt down beside her wheelchair in OU’s locker room to hand her his game ball from the 49-27 win.
The win, of course, was a huge boost for the Sooners and their playoff resume, but for Danielle, the chance to be at Owen Field and to reunite with Okoronkwo meant so much more.
The pair first met in June at The Children’s Center prom. Danielle, who was also born with Down syndrome, arrived at The Children’s Center a couple months earlier. In February, she was diagnosed with leukemia and spent time in the hospital before arriving in Bethany.
The two connected on the dance floor, and afterward, Okoronkwo found her room and talked with her for a couple hours.
“It was kind of neat because she felt special,” said Danielle’s mom, Jennifer. “It helps her spirits to have people showing interest in her.”
Before Okoronkwo left that night, he invited Danielle to a football game sometime in the upcoming season.
Because she was still receiving inpatient treatment, Danielle wasn’t sure when she’d be able to make it to Owen Field. But Okoronkwo kept in touch with Danielle and her family, wearing her orange and blue bracelet inscribed with ‘Dab for Danielle” — a motto inspired by her favorite dance move.
Lincoln Riley even stopped by a couple times to visit her, swinging by her room at The Children’s Center after he was named head coach and during OU’s bye week earlier this month.
When Danielle was discharged on Oct. 17, Okoronkwo knew it was the perfect time to fulfill his promise.
With the help of OU’s athletic department, Okoronkwo secured enough tickets for Danielle and her parents to come to the homecoming game.
“My husband and I are OSU alums, so this is a little different for us,” Jennifer said. “While we’re Pokes fans, this has really been neat to us that the OU people have reached out to her and made her feel special.”
Afterward, Danielle got more VIP treatment when Okoronkwo invited her to the team’s locker room celebration.
Not only did Danielle get Okoronkwo’s game ball, but she also got to show off her dance moves again.
With the players circled up, clapping and cheering, Okoronkwo and Danielle had a dance off in the middle of the action, and Danielle grinned that same big smile she flashed on the field hours earlier.
“She dabbed, for sure,” Okoronkwo said. “And she broke it down.”