Hunter Mickelson’s parents, John and Brooke, ensure Hunter knows he’s special – one in a million even.

In terms of his rare diagnosis of a kidney condition called nephrogenic diabetes insipidus from the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Hunter is one in 2.3 million. But the 9-year-old is also one in 12 – a Kid Captain for the 2024 Iowa season. 

John, a former Hawkeye defensive lineman, still recalls sitting down with his family of six and telling them about Hunter’s place on the Kid Captain roster. 

“Everyone was pretty emotional and pretty happy,” John said. “[UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital] means a lot to us. Iowa football means a lot to us.”

During Kids’ Day at Kinnick, Hunter and his family got to meet the football players and coaches, be in the locker room, and have an official media day photo shoot. 

“Those photos are really well done,” John said. “Hunter got to wear a jersey and a helmet. He thinks all that stuff is cool. Long-term for us, those are memories that we will be able to document and treasure forever.”

On Saturday, Hunter will create another core memory, putting on his Kid Captain jersey and walking onto the field in front of 70,000 Hawkeye fans. At the end of the first quarter, he’ll also wave to the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital from Kinnick Stadium. 

This will be a full-circle moment for the Mickelson family, reminding them of the strength and hard work it took for their family to get to this point. 

The journey started during Hunter’s first few months of life when John and Brooke noticed abnormalities in Hunter’s crying and nursing habits. He also was struggling to gain weight.

“He was born at a normal weight,” John said. “When he was five or six months old, he had only gained a pound.”

Hunter’s parents tried to get answers from local doctors and specialists but didn’t have any luck until coming to the University of Iowa. John and Brooke were met with the sense of urgency they were longing for by pediatric gastroenterologist Eyad Hanna. 

“He came in and took one look at Hunter and said, ‘I’m going to admit him right now,’” John said. “We really credit him for changing the course of Hunter’s treatment.”

With nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, Hunter’s doesn’t respond properly to a natural hormone called antidiuretic, or ADH. As a result, his body produces too much urine, causing rapid dehydration.

Shortly after, Hunter received a blood transfusion, a central line to his heart, and a gastrostomy tube during his hospitalization. 

Though there is no cure for Hunter’s condition, he is thriving as he and his parents manage symptoms and everyday lifestyle changes that come with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. 

John said Hunter always takes twice-daily medication and has access to water to combat the common extreme dehydration. These small lifestyle changes allow Hunter to attend fourth grade and participate in his favorite activities such as football, golf, and tennis. 

“He’s a 9-year-old goofball who likes to goof around with his brothers and his friends,” John said. “We’ve tried to not have him feel like things are different with his condition.”

Additionally, to monitor his progress and continued treatment, Hunter returns to the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital for regular checkups. 

Even years later, the Mickelsons still think back on their experience with the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital staff fondly, shining a positive light on what could have been a dark, challenging time. 

“The personal interaction and bedside manner that all the doctors had was amazing,” John said. “All the doctors and nurses are making real differences in people’s lives every day.”