Video: Hoover High students surprise 6-year-old boy with heart defect with trip to Disney World

Being born with a congenital heart defect has made life challenging for 6-year-old A.J. Thompson, but students at Hoover High School today had a surprise for the Hueytown boy to help make life better.

The youngster was the star of the show at a pep rally for the Hoover High baseball team. The Student Government Association informed A.J. they had raised $15,000 to send him to Disney World, in partnership with Make-A-Wish Alabama.

The young man said he was kind of scared being in front of thousands of high school students in the Hoover High gym, but that didn’t stop him from celebrating by throwing his hands in the air, hugging his mom and batting balloons around the gym.

“I thought I was going to go crazy,” A.J. said.

He thought he was coming to the gym because the Hoover High baseball team had invited him to be an honorary member of their baseball team when they play Vestavia Hills on Thursday.

A.J. played T-ball for two years but his cardiologist wouldn’t release him to play this year because of his heart status, so he was excited about being an honorary member of the Hoover Bucs, his mother, Gina Thompson, said.

But during the pep rally, he got the news of the Disney trip and was greeted by characters from his favorite movie, “Toy Story,” and Ronald McDonald.

“I’m just amazed – everybody coming together just to make his day,” his mother said. “It was almost breathtaking. When you see this community that doesn't even know you and all these people gathered around for your son that they don’t even know, it's wonderful."

A.J. has had a hard time since he was born, his mother said. He underwent open-heart surgery at 4 months and again at 11 months and probably will have to have another open-heart surgery this summer, she said.

He tires easily because his heart is “beating 90-to-nothing all the time,” she said.

But “he’s come a long way. He’s done things they said he was never going to do. He’s just really beat the odds,” she said. “He’s a trooper.”

Now, A.J., his twin 4-year-old sisters, 13-year-old half sister and his parents will get to take the trip to Disney World, scheduled for the end of March.

The Hoover High SGA raised money for A.J.’s trip with a variety of fundraisers, including a pre-game tailgate before the Vestavia Hills-Hoover football playoff game, tickets and T-shirts sold for the school’s Sadie Hawkins dance and sales of “Home Sweet Hoover” T-shirts.

“I’m so excited,” SGA President Jordan Walters said. “We’re just privileged that we could all come together and help him and his family have a good time at Disney World. I think it was really an eye-opener for the student body.”

The Hoover High baseball team presented A.J. with a Hoover Bucs baseball jersey and cap, and he also received multiple gifts during a reception afterward, including a “Toy Story” backpack, Buzz Lightyear action figure, coloring books, hats and T-shirts.

Lori Salter-Schommer, a spokeswoman for the Hoover mayor’s office, presented A.J. with a proclamation from the mayor’s office and a “Hoover challenge coin” given to special guests of the city and people who have overcome challenges or achieved noteworthy accomplishments.