This evening, Nico was honored by the Soccer Unity Project for his athletic record, his work to grow amputee soccer, and his advocacy for sports inclusivity. It was a swank affair at the Park Plaza Hotel. In attendance were several of Nico’s close friends and 9 of my soccer teammates. Not attending were either of his parents. I dropped Jeanine at the airport earlier in the day for her flight to West Palm Beach, where she will meet up with her childhood girlfriend, Kris. The two are set to embark on a ten-day RV trip to Charleston. Not knowing that my teammates had secretly planned to attend, I decided, after checking in with Nico, to sit out this event. For an introvert, getting decked out to attend a fancy ball is just not my jam, and going without Jeanine only made me more apprehensive. I can only imagine the abuse I am going to receive from my teammates at our game on Sunday. It may take years for them to let me live this down. I will happily take it all on the chin as I try to adequately thank them for their generous show of support for Nico, which means the world to me.