Cidni O’Brien, who designed the Nike Air Force 1 Fontanka, was diagnosed with anomalous aortic origin of the left coronary artery. This means that a critical artery supplying blood to her heart was attached in the wrong place and Cidni’s heart wasn’t getting enough oxygen, causing dangerously poor cardiac function.

Six months and one major heart surgery later, Cidni was back on the pitch and playing to win for her high school team, the Lebanon Warriors. Her soccer-inspired Air Force 1 Fontanka pays tribute to her teammates, as well as all the beloved animals in her life. Spoiler alert: there are a LOT of them. Look closely at the laces to find the names for Tito (parrot); Bosco (donkey); Cheez-its, Thoober, and Jonathan (goats); Carol Bask-hen (chicken); Copper (dog); and Swim Shady (fish) – to list just a few!

Cidni’s horse, Tank, is featured on the left sockliner, while her mom, Nikki, gets a special mention on the other. “I got Tank because I didn’t know if I’d ever play soccer again, and he really helped cheer me up,” Cidni explained. “And my mom is my hero. I wouldn’t be here without her.”

Flip Cidni’s shoe over, and you’ll find another of her favorite things on the outsole: shrimp pasta. (See if you can find her name written in the noodles). “It’s my favorite thing to eat in the whole world, so of course it had to go on my shoe,” she laughed.

Nike Air Force 1 Fontanka Doernbecher Release Date

Look for the Nike Air Force 1 Fontanka “Doernbecher” to release on April 30th at select retailers and Nike.com. The retail price tag is set at $120 USD.