During a two-week period, George Dobrozsi, 10, Stanley Dobrozsi, 9, and Walter Dobrozsi, 7, of Liberty Twp., met Luke Kennard, Franklin’s favorite son, at a local restaurant and an airport.
Their mother, Rachel Dobrozsi, joked that it felt like the boys, students at John XXIII in Middletown, were stalking Kennard.
Instead, it was fate.
When Kennard was eating at A&G Pizza while in town for his annual basketball camp, waitress Lisa Kepler asked him if he would pose for a picture with the boys.
No problem, Kennard said.
Kennard signed three A&G menus and their grandmother, Mel Wellbrock got them framed.
“They were just on cloud nine,” Wellbrock said. “That’s all they talked about. In fact, the youngest one went to get a shower that night and he laid his menu on the pillow by his mom on the couch and said, ‘Will you watch this? Don’t let anybody take it.’”
This is where their interaction with Kennard could have ended. Three boys and one brush with fame.
But on Aug. 2, the boys were traveling to Sarasota, Fla., with their parents, Ryan and Rachel Dobrozsi for their annual family farewell to summer vacation.
As they were waiting to board the plane at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Kennard, who was returning from Sarasota, recognized the boys and greeted them like his nephews.
“Hey dudes,” Kennard said.
He posed for another photo with the boys.
Kennard, who starred at Franklin High School, Duke University and has made millions playing eight seasons in the NBA, didn’t act like a celebrity, Rachel said.
He recently signed a one-year, $11 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks. The mother was more inspired by the person than the player.
“You would think a kid from Franklin who has made it to the NBA would have a big head,“ she said. ”He wasn’t like that at all. We were all impressed by how kind and nice he is.“
The Dobroszi family plans to follow Kennard’s season with the Hawks closely now that they have a connection.
“He has a big fan club in us now,” she said. “What he did meant the world to the boys.“
Columnist Rick McCrabb writes about local people and events every Sunday. If you have an idea for a story, contact him at rmccrabb1@gmail.com.
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