Meet Fatima Al Ali, an Emirati ice hockey player, coach and referee. And, if you think we're done listing her many merits, you're wrong.
Fatima was just invited to meet her favorite American hockey team. This, after former Capitals all-star Peter Bondra posted a video of her performing an elaborate hockey move, which to no surprise, quickly went viral.
Bondra was in Abu Dhabi on a hockey good-will trip when he spotted Al Ali balancing a puck on her hockey stick while swinging it around in the air.
He recorded it and posted it online.
After seeing this, the American team invited her to one of their games.
What makes this story all the more special is that Fatima's favorite team happens to be the Capitals, which hosts her favorite player Alex Ovechkin.
Talk about coincidences. Great coincidences.
"Better than a dream"
She traveled to D.C. and watched her first NHL game, saw her hero Ovechkin score a goal, got to meet him and even train on the ice with him.
“It’s better than a dream,” Fatima told CBS News.
As part of the NHL "Hockey is for Everyone" campaign, she also participated in the ceremonial puck drop, and even took a selfie with Ovechkin and Henrick Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings afterwards... which of course turned out perfect.
Al Ali is "impressive"
Fatima did not start out this way. She was (and still is) a UAE sports photographer who used to run the UAE men's ice hockey team's website when she realized that this sport could become her own.
We're glad she decided to pursue it, and apparently so is Ochevkin, who dubbed her trick extremely "impressive."
Even though Fatima gets into fights while refereeing (she got punched at her first game), it does not deter her. She truly loves the game.
To other little girls struggling to find their dreams, Fatima says, “just put out a goal and keep chasing it."
We hope she inspires people everywhere to follow their dreams!