Warriors’ Thompson fulfills woman’s wish with video-call.
He made a video call to Deborah Wright, who is battling breast cancer
When he posted a heartfelt message on Facebook last week, Randall Wright wasn’t sure it would cut through the social-media static. But it was the only way Wright thought he could make his wife Deborah’s dying wish of meeting Klay Thompson come true.
To try to get his post seen, Randall tagged Frank Somerville, who is used to sharing heartwrenching stories as KTVU’s evening news anchor. This one, however, was especially emotional. Last week, he shared the story on his own page, adding: “There is so much garbage on social media. But to me this is one of those times where we can make a dying woman’s dream come true. How cool would that be?”
Deborah, a life-long Golden State Warriors fan, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. According to her doctors, she has six weeks left to live. She always wanted to meet Thompson but, during this pandemic, would happily settle for a video call.
“My Bride loves Klay Thompson of the Warriors,” Randall, 59, wrote to Somerville. “I was wondering if at all possible, if maybe he could
FaceTime her (or Zoom or whatever). I ask for nothing else... no gifts, money, or anything... just for the possibility of a visit from Mr. Thompson.”
The post reached Thompson thanks to the Warriors public relations staff. Senior vice president of communications Raymond Ridder estimates he received no fewer than 15 emails about Deborah’s request. Ridder called Thompson, who has spent the last year diligently rehabbing from a torn ACL in his left knee.
“Klay usually doesn’t reply quickly to things,” Ridder said. “He responded within five minutes.”
On Monday morning, Thompson video-called the Wrights and talked to Deborah for 25 minutes about her family, pets and love for the Warriors. Deborah, who has fond memories of watching Rick Barry with her aunt in the 1970s, was even introduced to Thompson’s dog, Rocco.
“He made me feel like we’ve been friends forever,” Deborah, 62, said, adding that Thompson’s bulldog slept most of the call. “It was just a down-to- earth conversation.”
Decades ago, talking to a Warriors player may not have been Deborah’s wish. After starting a full-time job in the late 1970s, Deborah stopped following professional basketball altogether. However, the Oakland native who later moved to Castro Valley did like to watch basketball at the local high schools because, as she said, the teenagers played for the “pure joy of the game.”
She didn’t tune back into a Warriors game until a few years ago, when she was clicking through television channels and happened to turn to NBC Sports Bay Area just in time to see Stephen Curry make one of his 30-foot moonshots. Having never seen a shot like that, Deborah stopped her channel surfing. Shortly after, Thompson made a long 3-pointer of his own.
“They didn’t play like that in the 70s,” she said. Deborah hardly missed a
game until she was diagnosed with cancer.
Thompson became her favorite player when, in a television interview, the Warriors star was asked about his individual efforts. Instead of talking about what he accomplished in the game, he talked about his teammates. Deborah was reminded of the joy she witnessed in games at Castro Valley High School.
“That just endeared me to him,” Deborah said, “right then and there.”
The Wrights never expected to talk to Thompson, especially not for more than a few minutes. Thompson only left the video call because it was time for him to go on a run as he adheres with his rehab schedule. Before Thompson hung up, though, Deborah’s motherly instincts kicked in: She reminded the three-time NBA champion to bring water.
“I’ve still got a smile on my face from yesterday,” she said of the video call. “It meant everything to me. It made me feel so much better. I like to focus on the positive, and it gave me a positive to think about.”