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Last updated on Sunday, September 16, 2012
(SOLSBERRY) - Levi Sutherlin will find himself at the 50-yard-line of Lucas Oil Stadium at 1 p.m., serving as the official Riley Hospital for Children Coin Toss Kid.
Nick Schneider, of the Greene County Daily World reports, a Solsberry boy will get the thrill of his life on Sunday afternoon when the Indianapolis Colts kick it off in their home football opener against the Minnesota Vikings.
Levi Sutherlin will find himself at the 50-yard-line of Lucas Oil Stadium at 1 p.m., serving as the official Riley Hospital for Children Coin Toss Kid.
Levi was born with hemifacial microsomia.
The common facial birth defect left him without a right ear and deaf on that side.
Now 4-years-old, the young Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health patient has a bone-anchored hearing appliance that serves as an artificial ear.
Levi, who is undergoing occupational and physical therapy, will get reconstruction on what he calls his "special ear that God gave him."
His mother, Janet Sutherlin who is a teacher in Monroe County, says Levi attends preschool at Clear Creek Elementary in Bloomington.
"He's making amazing progress in school. We are really, really pleased with it," she said.
The youngster loves to play the drums and is a big football and Indiana University basketball fan.
His mother said Levi is excited to join the Colts as the Riley Coin Toss Kid.
"It's just awesome," his mother told the Greene County Daily World. "He just loves football."
Asked what her son's reaction was when he learned that he'll have a big moment on Sunday, she explained her young son liked it when he heard the word "Colts", but really didn't understand what the actual coin toss was all about.
His mother found a video of coin toss on YouTube and let her son watch it to more fully comprehend what he was about to experience.
"He started jumping up and down and pumping his arms," she said, "He said you mean I get to see all of those big guys."
Levi and his family will receive four tickets and limousine transportation to Lucas Oil Stadium.
He will receive an autographed Colts photo and a personalized Colts jersey and also take part in the coin toss.
This opportunity is made possible thanks to a partnership between Riley Hospital for Children and the Indianapolis Colts. Riley Children's Foundation supports Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Camp Riley and the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home.
The chance to be a Riley Coin Toss Kid for Levi actually came on the bus ride after he was a member of a group of Riley Kids who had participated in a flag display ceremony at the Indianapolis 500 race in May.
"He thinks he loves the Colts and says he's going to be a Colt. That's how he got this opportunity. He was talking to one of the marketing people at Riley and told them he was going to play for the Colts," she said.
The marketing representative ran with the idea and Levi was selected.
Levi isn't exactly Colts-size yet, but Sunday afternoon the pint-sized fan will be standing tall on the field with the 'big guys" for his own shining moment before a live television audience.
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