Wyckoff Kindergartner Helps Eli Manning Tackle Kids Cancer

WYCKOFF, NJ — A Wyckoff kindergartener is helping one of professional football's greatest living legends with his tackle.

The five-year-old in question is Maya Finkelstein, who recently battled it out with a form of cancer and in doing so, earned the notice and respect of retired Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Hackensack Meridian Health invited Finkelstein to appear in a commercial for "Tackle Kids Cancer" and she and the former NFL player and a handful of other children appeared on television in November.

"Maya had always wanted to be on TV, so it was tremendous to see her have her moment in the spotlight," Maya's father Jason Finkelstein told Patch. "For her, it was a special day where she got to be a star."

A line from the family fundraiser page adds a caveat: "When she met him, Maya thought that Giants legend Eli Manning was just a super tall guy with gigantic hands."

Maya was just four years old when she was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, a rare type of cancer that affects young children, and rushed into emergency surgery at Hackensack Meridian Health Joseph Sanzari's Children's Hospital.

After surgery, Maya faced radiation followed by several months chemotherapy, but celebrated the end of treatment in September by ringing a celebratory bell.

"While we remain cautiously optimistic about what we often refer to as Maya’s 'situation,'" the family said. "We are forever grateful for the care and support that we have received from Tackle Kids Cancer."

Amy Glazer, Executive Director for Hackensack Meridian Children's Health — which is responsible for the Tackle Kids Cancer philanthropic campaign — said casting Maya in the commercial alongside Manning was a no-brainer.

The kid had star quality.

"Having real children who are going through this very difficult journey tell their story, even visually, allows us to raise money for research and programs for these kids," Glazer said.

Filmed in a single day in October, the commercial aired a few weeks later on NBC and ESPN through the tri-state area, and will continue to be used to promote the "Tackle Kids Cancer" initiative to raise money for pediatric cancer research and patient care.

Funds for TKC are critical, the family said, as only 4 percent of the national cancer research budget is allocated to pediatric cancer research, and the two-time winning Super Bowl champion pledged to match donations up to $100,000 for the initiative.

Manning, who has served as a spokesperson for the media campaign since 2015, also took time during the shoot to spend time with Maya off camera and put a grand smile on her face, said Maya's dad.

"Eli is so great and down-to-earth," Finkelstein said. "The whole experience was sort of surreal."

Finkelstein added that while it was fascinating to meet Manning and to see his daughter celebrated, the path that brought them there was one he'd never choose.

"It was something I wish we never had to do, from the perspective of why we were there," Finkelstein said.

Maya's television debut did not mark the end of the celebration for the cancer-fighting phenome, who was later met with much ovation by staff and classmates at Lincoln Elementary School, where her teacher held a red carpet event in her honor, according to Finkelstein and school officials.

"We are proud of the way Maya is now inspiring hope and support for other children who are still walking this difficult road," Superintendent Kerry Postma said of the kindergartener.

Lincoln Principal Pat Lee called Maya, "our little Lincoln warrior."