Brentwood, Tenn. (December 12, 2017) – At the Franklin American Mortgage Company (FAMC) Coaches Luncheon presented by WKRN News 2, FAMC will recognize Wish Kid Jalan Sowell, from Mt. Juliet, as Honorary Captain of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. In this role, Sowell will participate in all of the events surrounding the bowl—including accompanying FAMC President/CEO Dan Crockett for the pre-game coin toss.
As a Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee supporter, FAMC has given more than $130,000 to help grant life-changing wishes in Middle Tennessee over the past six years and routinely names a Make-A-Wish ambassador as the honorary captain for the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.
Sowell was a star football player for Mt. Juliet High School before being diagnosed with chronic pulmonary embolism, a respiratory condition that ended his promising football career. Sowell’s coaches knew he had too much talent to quit the sport completely, so they offered him a position as a student coach. Through his new position, Sowell shares his strength and passion for football with his teammates.
Sowell was one of the wish kids featured on ESPN® in July as part of the “My Wish” series on SportsCenter, where he wished to produce and be the subject of an inspirational ESPN feature.
“Some of my most memorable moments from the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl have been getting to know extraordinary kids through Make-A-Wish,” said Franklin American Mortgage Company President/CEO Dan Crockett. “Jalan’s positive attitude in spite of his setback is an inspiration, and the fact that he used his wish to spread awareness about his condition shows just how great of a person he is.”
“Research shows wishes can give children the renewed physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness,” said Beth Torres, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee. “Jalan used his wish to share hope and strength with other children and his teammates. By including Jalan in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, FAMC is giving him another platform to share his inspirational message with others. We are grateful for their generosity and commitment to helping grant life-changing wishes for our wish kids.”
About Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee
Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee grants wishes in 38 counties and will soon grant its 1,500th wish since its founding in 2000. Nationally, Make-A-Wish grants a wish every 34 minutes and has granted more than 300,000 wishes in the United States since its inception in 1980. For more information about Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee, visit middletennessee.wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish.
About Franklin American Mortgage Company:
Franklin American Mortgage is a privately-held mortgage banking firm headquartered in Franklin, Tenn. and licensed to provide residential mortgages across the nation. For nearly a quarter of a century, FAMC has been an industry leader committed to helping families and individuals achieve their dreams of homeownership. For more information about the company and its services, please go to www.franklinamerican.com.
About the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl:
The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl (501(c)(3) non-profit organization) is an annual post-season collegiate Bowl featuring the Atlantic Coast or Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences. Since its inception, the Bowl has produced nearly $270 million in direct economic impact. Televised nationally to millions of viewers and listeners on ESPN and ESPN Radio, the Bowl is Nashville’s Holiday Tradition. For more information, call the Bowl office at 615-743-3130 or visit the Bowl online at MusicCityBowl.com.