On Oct. 20, Zachary led the Cosmos onto the pitch at Hofstra University’s Shuart Stadium as the team’s honorary captain. (He played for the Lynbrook Spartans before his diagnosis, and one of his dreams was to become a professional soccer player.) He warmed up with the team and went out to midfield for the pregame coin toss. “The team was so nice, and made me feel like one of the guys,” he said. “It’s something I’ll never forget. My favorite experience was walking out on the field with [Cosmos captain] Carlos Mendes, hearing all the fans cheering and doing the coin toss.”

David said it was nice to see his son be one of the guys again. “Seeing him on the field, being able to kick the ball and coming back to a bit of normalcy, was incredibly overwhelming for Deena and myself,” he said.

To celebrate his 11th birthday last week, Zachary traveled to Miami, with his family, including his older brother, Matthew, where they met NBA All-Stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

He will continue to undergo treatment to battle his brain tumor. For more information and updates about Zachary, or to make a contribution to the Friends of Zachary Fund, go to www.giveforward.com and search his name or the name of the fund.