ClubIsaac Kearney captures global hearts and offers hope after viral Christmas Day video
Reds superfan Isaac – who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, meaning he develops at a slower rate than other children his age – was the star of a piece that also heavily featured Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk and has now been viewed more than 122 million times across the globe.
In the video – which has also attracted more than 12 million social media engagements and led to a five-year high in the number of Google searches associated with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome – Isaac was surprised at school by Salah and Van Dijk.
He then visited the AXA Training Centre, where he met Arne Slot and the rest of his squad.
In heartwarming scenes, Isaac’s love for the players he idolises was reciprocated and he then watched the team train.
Plus, ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities, he was invited to be a mascot at Anfield when Slot’s side beat Manchester City in the Premier League.
Watch the video in full below.
Isaac, who was already recognisable on social media for bursting into Kop classics on his toy guitar, has now passed more than one million followers on TikTok.
His mum, Melissa, revealed the family has been inundated with messages of support, including from fans of rival clubs, celebrities such as Stormzy and Khloe Kardashian, and parents of children with the same condition as Isaac.
“The response to Isaac’s video has been absolutely phenomenal, we just can’t keep up with all the messages. What’s been most rewarding is hearing from families who have a child with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome too,” she said.
“Many said they didn’t feel like there was a lot of support out there for people with the condition and it was all quite doom and gloom, but that changed when they saw Isaac living his dream.
“It’s so lovely for us to think that our Isaac has been able to bring hope to other families in our position. That’s the power of his infectious personality that’s been perfectly captured in this special video.
“It was also particularly pleasing to hear there’s been a five-year high in Google searches related to Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. It’s a very rare condition and the more people that know about it the better.
“This shows the real impact Isaac’s video has had. We’re just so grateful the club was not only interested in telling Isaac’s story, but also then captured it so well. It’s made a real difference to so many.”
- Celebrating our diverse fanbase is a key aspect of LFC's Red Together initiative, reflecting the club's dedication to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into every aspect of its work. More information on Red Together is available here.
- Visit the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association website here.
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