League Pass
Tickets

Delle Donne Invites Matthew Walzer to All-Star Game

On Monday July 13, 2015, NIKE released a video

profiling 19-year-old Matthew Walzer and a letter he sent to NIKE executive Mark Parker in 2012. The letter Walzer sent explained the struggles that he has endured throughout his life putting on his shoes due to cerebral palsy. With Walzer about to enter college, his greatest fear was having his parents with him at all times because he would need them to tie his shoes.

After receiving the letter, Walzer and NIKE designer Tobie Hatfield designed a prototype in 2012 that has now led to the new FLYEASE shoe that is now available in limited quantities on NIKE.com. Now a sophomore at Florida Golf Coast University, Walzer is now able to put on his shoes by himself and feel an even greater amount of independence thank to NIKE and the new FLYEASE shoe.

Chicago Sky forward Elena Delle Donne tweeted out

how inspired she was by Walzer¹s story and how excited she was to share these shoes with her sister Lizzie.


Lizzie Delle Donne, Elena¹s older sister, was born blind and deaf with cerebral palsy and autism. Lizzie is a tremendous source of inspiration for Elena. Elena got her degree in Special Education from the University of Delaware because of Lizzie and has a passion for helping people with special needs.


Delle Donne, the lead vote-getter in the 2015 WNBA All-Star Balloting Presented By Boost Mobile, invited Walzer to join her in Connecticut for the game. Walzer joyfully accepted Delle Donne¹s invitation and the two will meet on Friday night prior to Saturdays game. The 2015 WNBA All-Star Game presented by Boost Mobile will be nationally televised on ABC on Saturday, July 25 at 2:30 p.m. CT. Delle Donne will wear Walzer¹s FLYEASE shoes during the game.