Nonprofit sending 9-year-old University of Michigan basketball fan to Final Four

The University of Michigan men's basketball team is in the Final Four on Saturday after beating Tennessee in the Elite Eight.

Around the time transfers like Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Elliot Cadeau first stepped foot on campus, the team was also introduced to Greyson Vasquez, a 9-year-old boy with Down syndrome. In a season of huge moments other Wolverine fans witnessed from their seats or on TV, Greyson got to celebrate them behind the scenes with the team, while they also celebrated him.

From closing out practice to closing out the tallest player in program history, Greyson is no ordinary fan.

"We attended all the home games. Greyson was able to see them coming in and out of the tunnel. After every practice, they'd always come and interact, especially with Aday Mara, making him slam the ball, working on free throws with him, etcetera," said Greyson's mom, Monica Vasquez.

His dedication didn't go unnoticed, as players showed up for his big moments throughout the season.

"He had a birthday in October. They came and sang him happy birthday with gifts; it was a very special moment," Vasquez said.

The celebration came with the help of Team IMPACT, a nonprofit that helps thousands of children living with disabilities or serious illnesses.

"I certainly feel for Michigan men's basketball this year. They have learned more from Greyson, I would imagine, than Greyson has probably learned from them. Resiliency, bravery, inclusion, and also what it just means to be a big kid," said Greyson's Team IMPACT case manager, Lynn LaRocca.

Wherever the team goes, so does Greyson, and that will include the Final Four to help cheer on his teammates in hopes of bringing home Michigan's first men's basketball title in more than three and a half decades.