TV show, Falcons tickets thrill young fan
Greg Myrick has phocomelia - he was born only with upper arms and two fingers attached to the limbs - but it hasn't slowed him down.
The 11-year-old enjoys the same activities as most boys his age.
"As far as he's concerned, he's no different from anybody else," said Rosita Moseley, his mother.
Video football is Greg's favorite pastime, he said. He also plays backyard football with his friends and said he plans to try out for his school football team next year. He said his goal is to play running back for the Atlanta Falcons when he grows up.
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His mother said that when Greg is in a new setting, people stare at him.
"I can tell you one thing, he likes to tell jokes a lot and he can run fast and dive for the football" said LaRoy Spears, 11, Greg's friend.
Greg Myrick, 11, plays video games with his friend LaRoy Spears, also 11. Greg will be featured on the Maury TV show and was given tickets to an Atlanta Falcons game.
Photo by Lynn Davidson
Greg is in the sixth grade at Grovetown Middle School, where he said physical education is his favorite subject "because I like running and sometimes we get to play football."
Greg also said he likes math.
Greg and his mother flew to New York City on Dec. 4 to be a guest on the afternoon TV talk show, Maury. Greg said he was nervous before he got there but calmed down after he was on the stage.
The television show will air sometime this month, but Greg has not been told the exact date.
He said the program shows him "doing things like brushing my teeth and playing video games."
Greg said he didn't mind the extra attention about his handicap.
"I just liked being on TV," he said.
Mrs. Moseley said the TV show paid expenses for their trip to New York. Maury Povich gave Greg a football autographed by Patrick Kerney, a defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, and four tickets to the Falcon's game Dec. 28.
"Those tickets, that's the best thing I've ever gotten," Greg said.
Greg's parents are in the Army and have been stationed at Fort Gordon for the past five years.
The trip was exciting, Greg said. He said the shopping experience in New York City was "huge."
"The Toys 'R' Us had three floors, and Old Navy had five floors," he said.