Ten-year-old Kentucky fan Edie House was all smiles after getting a letter and photos from UK basketball player Terrence Clarke on Christmas morning. (Greg House Photo)
Terrence Clarke has a Kentucky fan who doesn’t worry how many shots he makes, rebounds her grabs or games that he helps the Wildcats win. Ten-year-old Edie House of Versailles often goes to UK basketball and football games because her father, Greg, is a season ticket holder. Every summer she memorizes the jersey number for every UK basketball player — her father calls it her “summer ritual.”
It was while reading the roster before the season started that she picked Clarke as her favorite player. She has never met him but knew he “was my favorite player” on this year’s team immediately.
That led to her special Christmas wish — a letter from Clarke.
Guess what? Santa Claus apparently got some help from UK Athletics and Edie got the perfect Christmas present.
“I woke up at like 4 in the morning (on Christmas),” Edie said. “I asked my grandma what time it was and she said it was too early and to go back to sleep. I woke up again at 6 and said, ‘I can’t wait,’ and got up.”
She opened some gifts before her father asked if she got everything she wanted. She told him she didn’t get the letter from Clarke she “really” wanted.
“My mom saw something under the dresser. I saw it and it said, ‘Kentucky Athletics.’ I thought it might be a letter from him (Clarke) but I also thought they might be tricking me and nothing would be in it. Then I opened it and saw the picture fall out of him writing the letter. I had let myself think it might happen but my family kept asking me how Santa would get it without anyone knowing.”
Not only did she get the letter from the UK freshman guard, but it also included three photos of him writing the letter.
She tried to read the letter but started crying. And then crying some more. She called them “tears of happiness” she could not contain.
“It was the last thing she opened. Santa slipped it behind there on purpose I think,” Greg House said. “She cried for like five minutes. She was so overwhelmed that Terrence would take time out of his tough, busy schedule to write.”
She plans to frame the letter and photos. She got UK players Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans to autograph her basketball shoes after a game last season.
“Quickley’s aunt (Demetria Caldwell) let us stay down near the floor with her and then Edie even got a picture with Quickley,” Greg House said. “We were just hanging around to let the crowd filter out but Edie was thrilled.”
Greg House was deeply touched by what Clarke — and some Christmas elves at UK Athletics — did for his daughter. The player even asked if he could see a video of her getting the letter.
“This is what it is all about. It does not matter if the team is undefeated or 1-5 or whatever,” Edie’s father said. “The thing I love about UK basketball is getting to know players and watch the battles, good and bad. For Terrence to take time to do this makes it so special.”
Now UK may just need to find a way to get Edie to more games. Her only basketball game this year was Morehead — a game UK won.
“She has been to a lot of games, even the Citrus Bowl,” Greg House said. “She has never really seen Kentucky have a lot of adversity. The Florida football game last year was the first time she had ever seen UK lose in person. I am 43 and going to games with my dad since I was 4 or 5 years old, so I’ve seen just a few more losses than her.”
