Bulls great grants 98-year-old man’s birthday wish

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

AURORA — James Ream’s 98th birthday wish came true.

Ream, who is in hospice care at Countryside Care Centre in Aurora, was asked at his recent birthday party if there was one true wish he’s always had.

A lifelong Chicago Bulls fan, Ream never made it to a game. Staff members at the Aurora nursing center said they wanted to take him to the United Center to see the Bulls play, but he was a bit too sick.

The wish that Ream shared at his birthday party was to meet former Chicago Bull Bob Love.

That wish was granted on Tuesday morning. Love, a legendary forward on Bulls teams of the 1970s, made his way out to the Countryside Care Centre to meet with Ream. He signed a basketball and a Bulls No. 10 jersey for Ream, and the two talked a little basketball while family and staff looked on.

“I talked with Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer,” Love said to Ream. “I told them where I was going. All of them told me to tell you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”

Ream is in hospice care, suffering from congestive heart failure, his son, Bob, said.

Ream is an Aurora native who graduated from East Aurora High School. He first worked as a baker, his son said, and then worked a maintenance job at Aurora Federal Savings. And the staff at Countryside and his family are well aware that his favorite foods are Papa John’s Pizza and 7-Up.

He is a lifelong basketball fan and lifelong Bulls fan.

Love, the second-highest scorer in Bulls history, traded basketball talk with Ream. He told Ream that he was impressed with the makeup of this year’s Bulls team. Things could look pretty good this season, he said.

“Derrick (Rose) is exceptional. He’s tough. If we can keep everybody healthy, we’ll be OK,” Love said.

Kansas Swain, director of the Dream Foundation for Passages Hospice, made the contact to bring Love to Aurora on Tuesday. Love was receptive to making an appearance, Swain said.

“This really makes my day to come out here and say hello to everybody,” Love said. “They gave me the right name. I’ve got a lot of love to give.”

After meeting with Ream, Love walked the halls and met with more residents at the facility. He reached down to hug several of the patients that were in wheelchairs. One of the patients began to cry. Another was a former NFL player for the Bears in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

“It was good they won last night,” he said.

Ream said he was surprised that Love was able to make it on the snowy roadways Tuesday. He said he enjoyed watching Love play during his career. And he really enjoyed the visit.

“You get a lot of surprises,” Ream said. “You get a lot of people you never met before.”