Myka is 14 years old. She loves cake pops, pasta and LEGOs, but most of all, Myka loves the game of football. In fact, the California native is the quarterback of her flag football team and aspires to be the first female player in the NFL one day.
It’s a dream rooted in her family’s collective passion for the Kansas City Chiefs, something that originated with Myka’s dad – a Kansas City native – before permeating throughout this household of five. It’s their family’s thing, and it’s why the decision for Myka – who survived multiple heart surgeries as an infant – was an easy one when afforded an opportunity by the “Make-A-Wish” Foundation earlier this year.
“She was granted a wish a few years ago, but everything got put on hold when the pandemic hit,” said Myka’s mom, Angela Eilers. “She ended up outgrowing her original wish, so we went back-and-forth on what to do. That’s when the idea of meeting Patrick Mahomes came up, and I was like, ‘Well, we can ask, but that’s a big ask.’ The next thing we knew, they told us it was going to happen.”
Myka learned the news on a Sunday. Three days later, she was in Kansas City spending the afternoon with the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. She watched practice, helped break down the huddle and got fitted for equipment before sitting down for her film session with Mahomes, marking the continuation of a day full of surprises. She even signed a contract alongside General Manager Brett Veach, who suggested that Myka could be Mahomes’ replacement one day.
“Today has been amazing,” Angela said. “It’s made her feel so special. Our family just feels welcome and seen. We couldn’t have envisioned this in our wildest dreams.”
