Wolves Wishes: When Bully Met Jon

Legend's surprise for inspirational family

Wolves fan Jonathan McCrossan and wife Donna have come through a traumatic time having lost their two-year-old daughter Holly to a rare disease 18 months ago.

Holly passed away after suffering an aggressive form of melanoma linked to a condition she was born with called Congenital Melanocytic Naevus Syndrome.

Jon and Donna, who live in Highley, who have a five-year-old son Callum, have since been fundraising for the Caring Matters Now charity which looks to raise awareness and research into this rare condition.

And Jon’s sister Julie Smith, who lives in South Wales, decided that Jon was worthy of some form of Wolves treat as part of the Wolves Wishes initiative.

Many e-mails later, in collusion with Donna as well, Jon was offered a lookaround the Wolves Museum, in what Julie said was a gift for the family to celebrate Callum’s birthday.

On seeing a certain Steve Bull’s car parked up at Molineux, Jon felt it was vital to park next to one of his true Wolves heroes.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we bumped into him?” he said to Donna.

Little did he know that yes, he would bump into him, as, just as with many unsuspecting defenders back in the day, Bully was lying in wait!

And as Jon was wandering around the Museum, Bully stepped out to surprise him and Callum.

‘Jon and Donna lost Holly to a very rare illness last year but Jon has still managed to be the perfect Dad to Callum, and a loving husband and brother,’ Julie had written in her e-mail to Wolves Wishes.

‘He still does get to games but Holly was in and out of hospital for the two years of her short life so haven't had much of an opportunity to go.

‘They raise awareness and money for the ‘Caring Matters Now', the charity that looked after them during Holly's illness - they are trying to find the cure at Great Ormond St.

‘I wouldn’t want anyone to go through the hell that they have been through but would love to see him have a treat.’

As well as the chance to meet his hero, there were a couple of additional treats for Jon.

He and Callum were presented with the new Wolves home kit, and Callum was invited to be among the mascots for the pre-season friendly with Aston Villa.

“I thought I was just having a look around the museum but then my hero for many a year Mr Steve Bull emerged,” said Jon.

“I have met him briefly a couple of times before but nothing at all like this so it is a dream come true for me!

“I have to see Julie is full of surprises and she has been very sneaky and had me yet again!

“It is great that Callum is going to be one of the mascots at the Aston Villa game and we will all be looking forward to that.”