Crowd erupts as Rigby teen with special needs nails last-second shot

RIGBY — It’s likely Ike Edwards will never forget what happened toward the end of the Rigby Middle School basketball game Thursday evening.

The 13-year-old wasn’t even sure if he would get to play against Farnsworth Middle School, but his mother, Brittany Edwards, hoped he’d get a minute or two on the court.

“Ike has a disease called Hurler syndrome. His body lacks an enzyme, and because he doesn’t have it, it damages everything. He has heart problems, lung problems, bone deformities and developmental delays,” she tells EastIdahoNews.com.

Ike had a bone marrow transplant before he turned two, currently undergoes weekly infusions, and is preparing for his 73rd surgery. It’s common for children diagnosed with Hurler syndrome to have a short life expectancy of about 10 years due to the severe symptoms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Although Ike is in seventh grade, his mom says his mental development is closer to that of an 8- or 9-year-old.

Over the years, Ike has grown to love basketball, and when he heard about tryouts for the Rigby Middle School team, he didn’t hesitate to sign up.

“All he wanted to do was be on the team. He wanted to ride the bus with the boys, practice with the boys and do all these awesome things,” Edwards explains. “I told him, ‘You just do your best, and if you make the team, that’s awesome. If you don’t make it, maybe you can be a manager.'”

That’s exactly what happened. Coach Zach Richins made Ike the team manager, and sometimes the young man gets a few minutes on the court. His teammates are encouraging, and even though Farnsworth is a competitor, Ike knows most of the boys on that team because he grew up with them.

“His group of buddies who have helped him along the way are split between Farnsworth and Rigby. Our community has known Ike for a long time, and they’ve all been so supportive,” Edwards says.

Doctors recently told Ike’s parents he needed to have hip preservation surgery, but the teenager insisted it not be scheduled before the end of the season on Feb. 25.

“The next day, he’ll go in for the operation and then be in a wheelchair for three months,” Edwards says.

That’s why the games this month have meant so much to Ike and his family. Last week, while playing Taylorview Middle School, Ike made a 3-point shot. Then, with two minutes left on the clock Thursday night against Farnsworth, Ike’s coach put him in the game again, and his teammates kept passing him the ball.

He took his first shot and missed. He tried again, but it fell short.

Then, as the final buzzer blared, Ike’s shot dropped through the net.

“I think he was so excited and so nervous. Then, when the ball went in, all of Farnsworth and all of Rigby were like, ‘Ike! Ike! Ike!’ They just loved him,” Edwards says.

Students stormed the court, continuing to say Ike’s name, as his mother took it all in.

“It melts my heart. He is our miracle, and we are so grateful for him and the experiences he’s been given. I tear up when stuff like this happens because I know how much it means to him,” she says. “These boys are so good to him. He just loves the kids on these teams — and for me, it’s about memories and him feeling loved and accepted. This community does that for him.”

Watch Ike’s unforgettable shot in the video player above.