Day one kicked off with a heartfelt send-off from Gabe’s house, where a few members of the South Carolina CDT as well as last years USC’s dream recipient, Rutledge, surprised him at his front door with a huge poster and an abundance of gifts. From there, the excitement only grew as the family rode in style in a Hummer limo, heading straight to Colonial Life Arena.
Upon arrival, Gabe was greeted with an entire backpack stuffed with USC Women’s Basketball swag before being escorted on an exclusive tour of the team’s locker room and facilities. After the tour, we settled into amazing seats to watch the team’s shootaround. The highlight? Coach Dawn Staley personally invited Gabe onto the court to break down the team huddle and introduce him to the entire squad! After snapping tons of pictures and collecting autographs, the whole gym cheered as Gabe stepped up to the freethrow line. When he made his basket, the arena erupted with applause, followed by a flurry of high-fives and hugs.
Next up was a visit to the USC Women’s Soccer facility, where our CDT Captain, Taylor, gave Gabe an exclusive VIP tour. Of course, no visit would be complete without more gifts—Gabe was decked out in USC Women’s Soccer gear before heading onto the field to kick around the ball and score some goals.
After an action-packed afternoon, we checked into our incredible hotel, The Graduate. Waiting in Gabe’s room was the ultimate surprise: all of his favorite snacks, drinks, and even his beloved Peppa Pig character. A little downtime later, we were back at the arena for an exclusive chalk talk with one of the women’s basketball coaches, who walked us through game strategies and key plays for the night’s matchup.
Then came the big game—and what a game it was! USC dominated with a 40-point victory. Gabe even got featured on the Jumbotron twice, waving his rally towel and soaking in the moment. We even made it down onto the court after the game for a few pictures including one with Cocky the mascot! The perfect ending to a perfect day? A tweet from none other than Coach Staley herself, featuring a picture of her and Gabe! It was an unforgettable day, from start to finish!
Day two kicked off with a heartwarming family breakfast in the Butterfly Room at the Graduate, made even more special by the presence of two members from the CDT team. After breakfast, we headed to the USC official bookstore for an exciting shopping spree! Gabe picked out Gamecock-opoly—such a fun choice! With Mom being a proud USC alum and sister Hannah starting as a freshman next year, a campus photoshoot was a must. We captured some great moments at USC’s historic landmarks before enjoying a delightful picnic at Owens Park, complete with subs, fresh fruit, and popcorn chicken—delicious!
After some fun on the playground, we made our way to The Grand on Main for a round of bowling. Following a bit of downtime at the hotel, we bundled up and set off for Founders Park to watch the University of South Carolina Baseball team take on Milwaukee. We got a behind-the-scenes tour of the baseball facility, indulged in endless pretzels and French fries, and to top it all off, Gabe received a baseball signed by the entire team! With full hearts and happy memories, we wrapped up the day with an early night back at the hotel.
The Dream wrapped up with a delicious Chick-Fil-A breakfast with members of the USC CDT. Filled with hugs, laugher, and lots of love, everyone said their “see you laters” because it’s never goodbye!
Kudos to you, South Carolina Collegiate Dream Team!
