Magic’s lucky charm: A 7-year-old singer?
With 4-0 record, autistic girl will perform national anthem before Game 6
 John Raoux / AP Gina Marie Incandela, 7, has become one of the Orlando Magic's biggest inspirations, perhaps even their lucky charm. The Magic are 4-0 in the playoffs when Incandela sings the national anthem. |
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ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Magic are sticking with their undefeated lineup, one that features a 7-year-old girl.
Orlando is 4-0 in the playoffs when little Gina Marie Incandela sings the national anthem, and another one of her stirring renditions is planned before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.
“They win when she sings,” her mother, Michelle, said Friday. “It’s a wonderful coincidence.”
Maybe it is just by chance, but Gina — who suffers from a form of autism — has perhaps become Orlando’s lucky charm and is one of the Magic’s biggest inspirations.
She didn’t have a normal infancy.
Gina had poor eye contact. She would not play with toys. Bright lights and loud noises used to frighten her. Places like theme parks and carnivals, let alone an arena with 20,000 screaming fans, were intolerable. Before long, she was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder — Not Otherwise Specified, Autism, or PDD-NOS.
Her parents, Michelle and Dwayne, feared she would never be able to speak.
So they enrolled her in a program at the University of Central Florida. Teachers used music to help her speech, and slowly Gina started humming songs around the house. She eventually picked up on one of her favorite artists, Leanne Rimes, and began belting her own version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” with unbelievable bravado.
“Music executives have told me her voice is one in a million,” her mother said.
Gina has become the ultimate crowd pleaser at Magic home games.
She barely comes up to the knees of most players. But the first-grader’s booming voice makes for can’t-miss moments.
She can make NBA 7-footers crack a smile before pressure-packed playoff games. She can make beer vendors stop in their steps, and her body gyrations can work a crowd in ways Grammy-award winners can never touch.
“She’s amazing,” Magic center Dwight Howard said.
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“We were very afraid the worst could happen at first,” Michelle said.
But Gina’s and her voice never wavered.
Since then, she has performed before games of the Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Lightning and even at tennis’ U.S. Open. And so far, her and the Magic have been a perfect mix.
She left a sellout crowd with their jaws dropped before the Magic beat the Heat on Feb. 22. She did it again before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston, and Orlando won. After the Magic lost Game 4 to the Celtics in her absence, they’ve called her back for every home game since, same color guard and all.
Each time they’ve won.
“It just makes people happy, and it makes my own heart feel good just like everybody,” Gina said. “The fans really like it and love it in their own hearts.”
No one knows how her story will end because there is no cure for her condition. Gina’s parents can only help her manage the symptoms. Michelle said Gina still has delays when speaking and may have a tougher time adapting to social situations as she gets older.
For now, her voice has given them reason to feel good about the future.
“We’re so thankful for everything,” her mother said. “It’s like watching a dream.”
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