The buddy is a soft doll designed to be a “friend like me,” with an incision scar down the chest and a red mended heart, complete with a #38 Carrie T-shirt and NFL-themed shorts. The “TJ Carrie Shadow Buddy” lets children know they are never alone, that they have a friend … a buddy. TJ faced fear when undergoing his open-heart surgery and understands that having a buddy provides comfort and something tangible that can be held onto at  that moment and even for a lifetime.
 
TJ personally delivers the “TJ Carrie Heart Shadow Buddies” to local children’s hospitals
when visiting heart patients throughout the year. Carrie often shows his own “zipper” scar and shares his experiences with children who have similar scars.