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10/23/2012 09:21:35 PM · #1 |
(because I've decide there can't be too many)
Most of you have probably read or heard the story about the little boy with developmental handicaps (sometimes the story says he is Downs, sometimes it is something else, but the general idea is the same) and he is watching a group of boys play a baseball game. Towards the end of the game, the boys let him play and he ends up hitting a "homerun."
Now, I have no doubt this story *could* be true, but it has circulated so much, it almost becomes an urban legend.
Here's a true one --
As many of you know, my son plays football for a local youth league. He is on the middle age division, and just above him is the "midgets." (No, I have no idea why they are called midgets. the youngest group is the termites and the middle group are mites. go figure).
On this midget team is a young man named Brian. For reasons I won't go into here, he was born with multiple physical handicaps and as a result, in his short 11 years has had 13 major surgeries -- reconstructive, brain, etc. so his little face is severely misshapen and he has trouble running and doing the other physical drills, but he desperately wanted to play football.
His teammates have been so supportive of him this year -- they cheer him on, encourage him and, to the best of my knowledge, have never made fun of him in any way.
That, in and of itself is sweet, but the real story happened Saturday night.
We were playing a cross-county rival, and this team *loves* to beat us. They don't do it much (grin), but this year, their team was the stronger team, so with less than a minute to go, and behind something like 26 to 8, our fullback breaks through the line and manages a 50 yards run to the 5 yard line.
At this point the other team calls time out to stop the clock (to our advantage, not theirs). Then, immediately call another one and use their last one. There is now less than 10 seconds left in the game.
Our coach puts Brian in at running back and tells the boys to block for him so he can run the ball.
They do. The other team "tries" to tackle him but he gets through to score -- the last touchdown of the season because this loss puts us out of the playoffs.
I found out later it was the OTHER team's coach's idea to let Brian run, and the other boys, on their own, helped him to score against him.
Because of his age and size, and the physical-ness of the game from this age on, he may never get to play again, but he truly feels that his dream came true. And other 10 and 11 year old boys, not just grown ups, made that happen. |
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10/23/2012 09:26:43 PM · #2 |
| That is an awesome story! Congrats to the kids for being such caring people (and to the parents for instilling that in their kids)! |
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10/23/2012 09:27:53 PM · #3 |
| Wonderful. Fills the heart with joy and the eyes with tears. |
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10/23/2012 09:39:36 PM · #4 |
Oh, karmat, that's really a wonderful act of kindness, and I applaude those wonderful kids for their intentions. But, I can't lie, I'm honestly somewhat torn, as good intentions often have bad consequences.
As I see it, the concern is that he MUST NEVER find out... Can you imagine how crushed you would be if you discovered that your defining moment wasn't quite what you thought it was?
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10/23/2012 10:07:47 PM · #5 |
| Actually, Cory, I have thought of that, and it may be to some degree -- I guess it just depends on the kid. |
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10/23/2012 10:30:21 PM · #6 |
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10/23/2012 10:41:24 PM · #7 |
| stories like this restore my faith in humanity. |
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10/24/2012 12:38:18 AM · #8 |
Thanks for sharing such a lovely story. It actually gave me goosebumps.
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10/24/2012 12:47:57 AM · #9 |
Karma that is a great story, and one that I love to hear.
I'll add another one to your thread(hope you don't mind)
My alma Mater played a team has a young man on the Freshman team with some mental and physical handicap that allows him to suit up and cheer on, but has not played. He practices every day as hard as the others(sometimes harder). On the final game of the season my alma maters team was undefeated for the season and hadn't been scored on in 4 of their final games. Up 40-0 the other team put this young man in with 0:45 seconds to go and the ball was on their own 20 yard line. The other team snapped the ball and handed off to this young man who proceeded to "scramble" 80 yards being "chased" by the whole defense and his teammates. When he crossed the goal line both teams celebrated with him and carried him off the field "Rudy style" I don't think there was a dry eye in the stands. And my good friend(in his mid 40's) who's son is the captain on the team had to come by my house and tell me all about it, and just telling me he teared up again.
Stories like this and yours may be made up from time to time, but when they happen for real, and they really do, it's an amazing thing.
My alma mater won that game 40-6 but I think everyone on both teams really won a whole lot more.
Matt |
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10/24/2012 01:26:58 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by MattO:
Karma that is a great story, and one that I love to hear.
I'll add another one to your thread(hope you don't mind)
My alma Mater played a team has a young man on the Freshman team with some mental and physical handicap that allows him to suit up and cheer on, but has not played. He practices every day as hard as the others(sometimes harder). On the final game of the season my alma maters team was undefeated for the season and hadn't been scored on in 4 of their final games. Up 40-0 the other team put this young man in with 0:45 seconds to go and the ball was on their own 20 yard line. The other team snapped the ball and handed off to this young man who proceeded to "scramble" 80 yards being "chased" by the whole defense and his teammates. When he crossed the goal line both teams celebrated with him and carried him off the field "Rudy style" I don't think there was a dry eye in the stands. And my good friend(in his mid 40's) who's son is the captain on the team had to come by my house and tell me all about it, and just telling me he teared up again.
Stories like this and yours may be made up from time to time, but when they happen for real, and they really do, it's an amazing thing.
My alma mater won that game 40-6 but I think everyone on both teams really won a whole lot more.
Matt |
Awesome. |
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10/24/2012 01:33:22 AM · #11 |
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10/24/2012 01:41:30 AM · #12 |
| That is not only makeing me mist up, but I just want to hug all those boys and their coach!! Yes as Matt said BOTH Teams won that day!!! Thanks for shareing this.. All the bad stuff we hear way to much of, this is what needs to be on the news! |
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10/24/2012 04:04:50 AM · #13 |
THIS MELTED MY HEART and made me a little teary.....OPPS CAPITALS SO I CAN SEE... THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND ONLY HOPE IT WAS RECORDED IN PRINT AND WELL AS VISUALLY THANK YOU FROM EVERYONE WHO HAS A SIMILAR STORY TO SHARE BUT SOMETIMES DOESN'T...
THANK YOU FROM MY HEART TO YOURS....
YES I AM NOT KEEN ON THE WORD 'MIDGET', BUT IT IS IN THE DICTIONERY AND IF USED CORRECT IT HAS IT PLACE... THANKS AGAIN XOX
FROM SHEZ
YES, I AM A DWARF, (SHORT STATURED TO MOST OF EVERYONE HERE IN AUSTRALIA) AND I AM PROUD OF WHO I AM, AND WOULD NOT CHANGE A THING...(EXCEPT MAYBE BE A LITTLE MORE LIKE ELLE MCPHERSON THE 'SUPER MODEL'TO TELL ALL THE BOYS TO PEEVE OFF)... HEEHEE HEE... A RUNNING (SHORT) JOKE IN MY FAMILY..... FROM SHEZ
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10/24/2012 12:01:10 PM · #14 |
| we not only need more stories like this, but more people like this, too. |
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10/24/2012 12:49:00 PM · #15 |
| I super like this thread. Thank you for sharing your stories; I needed to restore a little faith in humanity. |
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10/24/2012 01:18:57 PM · #16 |
Oh... that's... AWESOME!
THanks for sharing it.
It really takes only a little bit of effort to make someone else's life better.
I'm very proud of those young men. |
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10/24/2012 02:11:43 PM · #17 |
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10/24/2012 09:24:15 PM · #18 |
Off our meds again, are we?
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10/24/2012 09:26:38 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by ambaker:
Off our meds again, are we? |
Geologist. Oktoberfest. 'nuff said. ;) |
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10/25/2012 08:51:55 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by ambaker:
Off our meds again, are we? |
Geologist. Oktoberfest. 'nuff said. ;) |
Keep it on topic... SC is on the rag.
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10/25/2012 10:30:46 AM · #21 |
Ya know...I love to see humanity at it's best....Congrats on that touchdown. I am sure that he (and everyone assosciated) is very proud of the young man.
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10/25/2012 12:19:11 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by ambaker:
Off our meds again, are we? |
Geologist. Oktoberfest. 'nuff said. ;) |
Keep it on topic... SC is on the rag. |
what a mysogynist comment. your mother must be proud. |
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10/25/2012 02:46:17 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by frisca:
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by ambaker:
Off our meds again, are we? |
Geologist. Oktoberfest. 'nuff said. ;) |
Keep it on topic... SC is on the rag. |
what a mysogynist comment. your mother must be proud. |
I guess it's lucky that my mom doesn't even recognize me when I visit... alzheimer's with a mix of MS will do that.
Message edited by author 2012-10-25 14:46:46.
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10/25/2012 04:14:30 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Originally posted by frisca:
Originally posted by Strikeslip:
Originally posted by Cory:
Originally posted by ambaker:
Off our meds again, are we? |
Geologist. Oktoberfest. 'nuff said. ;) |
Keep it on topic... SC is on the rag. |
what a mysogynist comment. your mother must be proud. |
I guess it's lucky that my mom doesn't even recognize me when I visit... alzheimer's with a mix of MS will do that. |
...ever think she might be feigning that just so you don't come around as often and that you won't get upset when she omits your name from the will.
:O)
Ray |
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10/25/2012 04:46:10 PM · #25 |
| Just got an update that made my story even sweeter. *OUR* coaches thought it was the other coaches' idea. Just found out that one of their BOYS told the ref to tell our coaches to let him run. It was sweet to know that the coaches did it, but to find out that one of boys did it was even more astounding, to me. |
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