Daniel Wachira wished that the miracle of someday meeting his hero, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, would come true. At a charity event called the Miracle on 138th street, Daniel received his miracle. Kobe spent time with the boy, chatted with him and taught him how to dribble. A hug and a high-five later, Daniel thought he had experienced a miracle. What he did not know was that Kobe thought the very same thing.

Daniel’s story is nothing short of miraculous. He is one of the abandoned babies being saved all across Africa. Born on August 30, 2001, he was found in a slum in Nairobi, Kenya, abandoned in a garbage can, missing a left ear and left big toe after being eaten off by dogs.

Named after the prophet who was fed to the lions and survived, he was cared for by Frances and Larry Jones of the Abandoned Baby Center in Kenya, a five-acre facility that provides temporary shelter and medical attention to abandoned babies. The center is a project of Feed the Children, an Oklahoma-based international charity group that has actively participated in child welfare efforts worldwide.

Feed the Children not only arranged Daniel’s meeting with Kobe Bryant but also for two surgical operations to repair his damaged face. Two Houston surgeons Sean Boutros and Michael Miller gave their free services to operate on Daniel.