๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ต๐ดโ ๐๐ช๐ด๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐๐ข๐บ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ช๐ด๐ค๐ฐ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฎ ๐ข ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐บ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ.
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On September 15, 2021, at the 15th Annual Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation Golf Tournament fundraiser in Burlingame, CA, Coatsโ patient Nolan Fyda met several fellow Coats’ patients: Jack McGovern, Darius Souza, and Ryan Stach. He also met former San Francisco Mayor, Art Agnos, who is a long-time supporter of the Foundationโs work to find a cure.
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Nolan, 11, who was diagnosed with Coatsโ Disease in June of 2020, was a featured speaker at the reception following the golf tournament. Former Mayor Agnos complimented Nolan on his inspirational speech about his life with Coatsโ Disease and gave Nolan his business card. Nolan and his parents, Kate and Matt, had traveled to San Francisco from Texas just for this event. This was their first visit to the Bay Area and they spent several enjoyable days exploring the city, collecting souvenirs along the way.
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Unfortunately, while they stopped for lunch on the way to the airport for their return flight, their car window was smashed and their luggage was stolen. Nolan was very upset that his souvenirs, iPad, school computer, and other items were taken.
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But, of all those stolen items, Nolan was most upset about a single business card – from Former Mayor Art Agnos. To Nolan, this was a very special keepsake and he was devastated that it was gone.
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In an effort to put a smile back on his face, Nolan’s mother, Kate, reached out to Foundation co-founder, Ed McGovern. Ed quickly contacted Mr. Agnos to let him know what had happened and to request another business card. But, instead of simply sending Nolan a replacement card, Art went above and beyond to surprise Nolan with an engraved water globe of San Francisco!
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Kate reported that, “Nolan received a package from Mr. Agnos and we were all speechless. Art, you went above and beyond with that gift! Nolanโs jaw dropped and his eyes filled with tears, as did mine. We will be forever grateful to you for the time and thought you put into that amazing gift!โ
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She continued, “I cannot say enough how thankful we are for this amazing Coatsโ Disease community. This is a gift he will treasure for a lifetime!” The globe is inscribed: โNolan, I was very proud of you for your superb speech at the JM Coats’ Disease Foundation meeting in San Francisco. You were the best speaker. Your words are especially important to kids and their families who need help defeating this disease. Never give up.”
