Above the Fold: Liam Doxsee’s life with SCID

A little over a year ago, Liam joined the Iowa baseball team as its Kid Captain, with help from the organization Team IMPACT. This two-year contract gave Liam the chance to deepen his connections with his favorite team and sport.

Natalie Dunlap, Assistant Digital Editor

November 12, 2023

Grace Smith

Liam Doxsee, 9, hugs Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller before a baseball game at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. Between attending a few baseball practices and most games and joining in on pregame huddles, Liam’s mother Mary Matheson said Liam treats this opportunity as a job, enjoying every second of it. Liam sits on a bench in the dugout, rolling around a baseball that’s wet from the rain. After the athletes warm up, they make their way through the dugout, high-fiving and eagerly exchanging hellos with Liam.

The Iowa baseball team has one very special, resilient young member: 9 year old Liam Doxsee. He is a huge Hawkeye fan from Coal Valley Illinois, and brings a positive attitude to the diamond and elsewhere, while managing severe combined immunodeficiency.

Above the Fold is hosted and produced by Natalie Dunlap.

About the Contributors

Natalie Dunlap, Assistant Digital Editor

(she/her/hers)

Natalie Dunlap is the Assistant Digital Editor at The Daily Iowan. She is the host and producer of the Above the Fold news podcast. She has previously worked as a news reporter, news editor, politics reporter, politics editor, and digital producer for the DI. She is a senior majoring in journalism and minoring in English and gender, women's, and sexuality studies. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting while listening to pop culture podcasts.

Grace Smith, Senior photojournalist and filmmaker

she/her/hers

Grace Smith is a fourth-year student at the University of Iowa double majoring in Journalism and Cinematic Arts. In her four years at The Daily Iowan, she has held the roles of photo editor, managing summer editor, and visual storyteller. Outside of The Daily Iowan, Grace has held an internship at The Denver Post and pursued freelance assignments for the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Des Moines Register.