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‘Keep Fighting’: Jacksonville 4-year-old with rare disease meets Akshay Bhatia at The Players Championship

Alessandra Pontbriand, News4JAX sports anchor/reporter, Jacksonville

A Jacksonville mom reached out to News4JAX sports anchor Alessandra Pontbriand after seeing her story on Akshay Bhatia. Her 4-year-old daughter Harlow has the same rare disease — Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency — that Bhatia’s niece Mia passed away from. They met him at The Players Championship this week, where he signed Harlow’s shirt with a message: “Keep Fighting.” (Kim Higbee)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – A Jacksonville mom, Kim Higbee, reached out to News4JAX sports anchor Alessandra Pontbriand after seeing her story on the volunteer who went viral after taking a selfie with PGA stars Brooks Koepka, Tony Finau and Akshay Bhatia during Thursday’s rain delay at The Players Championship.

Higbee’s 4-year-old daughter Harlow has the same rare disease - Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency - that Bhatia’s niece Mia passed away from. They met him at The Players Championship this week, where he signed Harlow’s shirt with a message: “Keep Fighting.”

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A Jacksonville mom reached out to News4JAX sports anchor Alessandra Pontbriand after seeing her story on Akshay Bhatia. Her 4-year-old daughter Harlow has the same rare disease — Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency — that Bhatia’s niece Mia passed away from. They met him at The Players Championship this week, where he signed Harlow’s shirt with a message: “Keep Fighting.” (Kim Higbee)

Her mom says Bhatia bringing attention to PDCD means the world to families like theirs.

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