Boy without hand bumping arms with soccer player went viral in 2019, and the two are reuniting

A viral photo of a young boy without a left hand, bumping elbows with one of his favorite professional soccer players, Carson Pickett, stole the hearts of many in 2019. The soccer player also has Kentucky ties, and the two reunited for a special feature, slated to air this weekend.

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The family posted the photo on the boy's Instagram on June 5, 2019, with the caption "Staying up late this weekend was worth it when you get to cheer on @carson.pickett ! ⚽️ I love fist bumping her.🤜 If you can't tell she makes me smile, double chin and all!"

Joseph Tidd, with the nickname Jo Jo, was born without a left hand and is one of nearly 2,000 babies born with limb differences in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a young child, under two years old, he and his family often attended games for the Orlando Pride to watch Pickett play.

After a big victory, Pickett headed for the stands, celebrating the win with Jo Jo by bumping elbows. On April 16, 2019, the soccer player posted a photo of the two for limb difference awareness month. "Soccer means the world to me, but the platform that soccer provides me for things like this takes the cake. Joseph, you’re my new hero for life💜 #limbdifferenceawarenessmonth"

According to an email to The Courier Journal from Scripps, Pickett, who currently plays for Racing Louisville FC, reunited with Jo Jo for a special feature set to air at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 on ION as part of the Scripps Sports’ pre-match studio show prior to a National Women's Soccer League doubleheader, beginning with Louisville and the Portland Thorns.

Jo Jo, now six-years-old, surprised Pickett in what she thought was a regular pre-match interview. She was caught off guard as Jo Jo conducted the interview. “She was completely surprised,” Dave Trager, producer of the segment, said. “She had no idea he was going to come in. It was like a reconnection.”

The feature will air on the NWSL ION Pre-Match Show on Saturday. Click here for more details.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Carson Pickett reunites with young boy from viral photo in 2019