CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A Charlotte mother of a child with a fatal disease is doing all she can to make sure her son has the best life possible, and doing what she can to raise money for a cure. She has some famous help in doing that.

Kaycee Thongdee, 8, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It’s a muscular weakness that will progress until he's in a wheelchair, and finally paralyzed. Thongdee is not expected to live past 21. But nothing would keep him from a playdate with newly retired Panthers Player Mike Rucker.

“Yea, my heart is already broken in pieces because of that. But what I'm trying to do is be strong for him and make him as happy as possible with what the future is going to hold for us,” said his mother Pic

Ruke's grandfather had a different form of Muscular Dystrophy. Now the former Panther gives back by volunteering for MDA. He'll be Thongdee’s partner in the upcoming muscle team event, which pairs local athletes with children who have the disease.

“It’s something that we participated in the last few years and been able to grab some other guys too, Coach Fox and Jake and Mike Minter, and some of the basketball players. It’s been good to see the thing grow,” he said.

Kaycee's mom appreciates Rucker's effort. She prays for a cure to save her son.

“I look for the future but I also look for the miracle that may happen so we still have a chance,” she said.

The muscle team fundraiser sends kids like Kaycee to a special MDA camp just for them. And he is looking forward to that.

“They tell stories and eat at mess hall and stuff, and they live in cabins,” he said.

But before camp, he has another play date with Rucker at muscle team.

The Muscle Team Event is May 15th at Bank of America Stadium. For more information, call Sarah Enten at MDA. The number is 704-502-3466.