For the Indiana Hoosiers, the journey to the National Championship was fueled by more than just ambition; it was driven by a promise to their 10-year-old superfan, Drew Shouse. Now, going into the natty final, Drew is again on the IU players’ minds as the program announces a surprise for him.

“Hey, Drew. We knew you were with us at the Rose Bowl, and there’s no way we could go to the National Championship without you,” Hoosiers’ QB Fernando Mendoza said in a January 14 video message. Linebacker Isaiah Jones quickly chimed in and invited Drew to the national final in Miami.

“Hey Drew, Isaiah Jones here, and we know you’re out there with us at the Rose Bowl. And we’re heading to Miami, and we can’t go without the heart and soul of our team,” said the LB.

Drew’s journey has been a prime piece of motivation for the team. The 10-year old was born with a rare heart condition, mitral valve regurgitation, and has undergone two open heart surgeries so far, spending nine months after his birth in the intensive care unit. That’s where little Drew was introduced to IU football, and his fandom has grown ever since.

Drew’s mother, Ashley, gifted him a newborn Indiana merchandise. Growing up, the little warrior’s fandom transitioned into collecting Indiana logos and stitching those on footballs. The fandom was burning red hot, and Drew always wanted to visit Bloomington. Luckily, Drew’s dream became a reality after Team Impact, a nonprofit organization, approached him.

Drew quickly made his IU fandom apparent and has been the “kickoff kid” for the Indiana team since 2023 with the help of Team Impact. Subsequently, the players started noticing him, and Isaiah Jones was the first one to meet Drew and show him around the campus. Other players followed suit.

WR Omar Cooper Jr took Drew shopping, and Elijah Sarrat talked to the 10-year old before entering the Old Dominion game on August 30. So, when Indiana reached the national title final and the playoffs, how could they have forgotten young Drew, who stood beside them since 2023?

“The Hoosiers and the Impact team are sending you to Miami. Come on,” said Isaiah Jones. Fernando Mendoza, along with other IU players, echoed the same message: Drew would be coming to Miami and would be lifting the natty together with the team. “Team Impact wanted you to send you to the National Championship. Look forward to seeing you,” Fernando Mendoza concluded.

After Team Impact made the tickets available for Drew and his father, the little kid was disappointed that his elder brother wasn’t coming. His parents contacted the organization, and Team Impact arranged the tickets for his brother, Jack, as well.

Drew has been a warrior throughout his life

Drew has always been a fighter. After undergoing two open-heart surgeries, the little guy never backed down from the challenge. Later in 2017, when he needed another heart surgery, Drew fought through it like a true hero. Currently, the 10-year-old’s heart is stable, and he requires just sporadic visits to a cardiologist every year. The family plans for one final heart surgery to repair his Aorta and we might see Drew enroll in Indiana by then.

“Drew is an inspiration to all of us on the team,” Indiana QB Tyler Cherry detailed. “He’s a fighter, and seeing him battle through what he has been through motivates all the players to keep going every day.”

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As for the little warrior, he has just one message for his team. “Play well. Play strong and play hard,” he said. Without a doubt, Drew’s story would be on the IU players’ minds in the game as they would script history not just for themselves but for the young hero, too.