The Air Jordan 5 “Doernbecher” sees the latest installment of the storied series, this time paying tribute to Isaac Arzate and his family. Nike offers the following account of the Doernbecher patient to whom the shoe pays homage to:
“Isaac Arzate was a talented young athlete who pitched a no-hitter in baseball and savored an undefeated season in basketball. In January 2012 Isaac suffered a cardiac arrest at basketball practice and was sent from Salem to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, where doctors discovered a previously undetected abnormality that is one of the most common causes for heart attacks in young people.
After recovering from open-heart surgery, Isaac was invited by OHSU Doernbecher to be part of the 2012 Freestyle program. During his rehabilitation from surgery, he began sketching designs for an Air Jordan VRetro, highlighting his interests and experiences. He also became well enough to don his jersey and watch his basketball team from the bleachers, occasionally getting to shoot around during breaks in the game. Then in April 2012, 12-year-old Isaac tragically suffered a second heart attack, and did not survive.”
With help from his family, the Air Jordan 5 “Doernbecher” completes the design that Isaac was working on by using his original sketches and others that his parents had found. The shoe is detailed in dedication to Isaac, showcasing his #9 baseball jersey number and #31 basketball jersey number. His initials, date of birth and date of passing tag the tongue lining, while glow-in-the-dark details highlight the silo. Words from a poem Isaac wrote just a day before he passed grace the upper, amplified by black light ink. Lastly, each pair comes with a flashlight to celebrate Isaac’s love of video games.
Look for the Air Jordan 5 “Doernbecher to launch on September 14th for $180 with proceeds from the sales benefiting OHSU Doernbecher. The “Doernbecher” 5s will be available exclusively at Nike Store and via Nike Store Twitter RSVPs.
