TAMPA, Fla — Zavier Gonzalez is a 14-year-old warrior who helped surprise the British-American rock band Foreigner before their Saturday night concert.
“With Shriners, I've basically been there my whole life... I got my first amputation at eight months old and at 12 months old I got my first prosthetic," Gonzalez shared.
Gonzalez credits his mom, family, friends, Shriners and the list goes on.
And on that list is Foreigner.
"Foreigner has been involved with the Shriners Hospitals for Children for I think about 14 years now," Phil Carson the manager of Foreigner explained.
Carson said about six years ago they donated hit song ‘I Want To Know What Love Is' to Shriners Children’s so that all of the proceeds from the song go directly to them.
“Today we brought together our local Shriners to extend a huge thank you alongside of Shriners Children's to the band Foreigner who, over the past 16 years has helped us to raise over $3 million,” Mel Bower the Chief Marketing & Communications Officer for Shriners Children’s said.
Gonzalez and members of Shriners got on stage at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater to pay the band back with a special thank you plaque.
"It was really important to us to make sure that we and not just this way, in other ways as well, try and give back a little bit," the Foreigners shared.
For Gonzalez, Foreigner is bigger than the music and the money they've raised. They are part of his reminder that there is no battle you have to face alone.
"They really did show us what love meant and they helped us so much," Gonzalez said.
That’s why he hopes others feel that same support and can keep their chin up no matter what this life throws their way.
"Push through it and don't give up. Even for the people that have a disability, you don't have a disability, you got a different ability and don't let anybody change that perspective on you. You're just like everybody else," Gonzalez shared.
“You know, I gave him probably the biggest hug I could ever recall giving him, and he held on tight"
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