WHAT started out as a simple letter to a sporting hero resulted in a special gift for Jesse Taylor on Friday.
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The year four Horsham West Primary School student said he was surprised to be presented with the bag used by Gold Coast Suns forward Tom Lynch throughout the 2017 AFL season.
“I didn’t know I was going to get it but when I sat down at assembly I asked myself why Tom Lynch’s bag was there,” he said.
“When I realised it was for me I started tearing up a bit. Then I was just really happy because he had used it the whole season so when it was given to me it was really special.”
The idea to write to Lynch stemmed from a show and tell day at school.
“I had my Gold Coast singlet which I was showing everyone and Mrs Mason told me that she lived near Tom Lynch’s parents,” he said.
“A couple of weeks later she asked if I wanted to write a letter and that started it all.”
In the letter Jesse wrote what he knew about Lynch as well as some things about himself.
Along with the letter Mrs Mason also passed on Jesse’s singlet to be signed by Lynch. Jesse also received a Suns’ pen and flag.
Jesse said he started supporting the Suns after he heard about the side five years ago.
“I searched what colours they were and thought red and yellow was really cool,” he said.
“Tom really inspires me when he plays full forward because he gets a couple of goals each game. I mostly play in the backline and I want to be able to go forward to get goals as well.”
Jesse played for Taylors Lake in the under-14s this year. He said his favourite things about football were tackling and playing with his friends.
“You can make a different kind of family with football,” he said.
Jesse is currently working on his second letter to the Gold Coast forward who he hopes to meet one day.
“I had a chance to meet him once but I was on holidays at Port Fairy,” he said.
“Mrs Mason had gotten a message from Tom saying that he was playing tennis at Murtoa and he wanted me to come down to meet him.
“It was our first day in Port Fairy so we couldn’t really leave in order to come back.
“Tom is my friend and having a famous friend is pretty special.”