Boy With
Down Syndrome Scores Heartwarming Touchdown For High School Football Team
8-year-old Gabe White is a "manager" for Rhinelander High School's freshman football team in
Wisconsin. He's also the team's biggest fan. Moments after time expired during
the team's last game of the season on Oct. 16, Gabe was called off the
sidelines and onto the field. All of the sudden, everyone was cheering for him.
Gabe, who has Down syndrome, is the
younger brother of the team's #84, Owen White. Rival high school Mosinee had
already won the game by the time Gabe took the field, but that didn't stop him
from giving it his all when he was asked to score a "winning"
touchdown for the Rhinelander Hodags.
As he ran for the end zone,
football in hand, Mosinee players did their part by diving to tackle him,
missing him only by inches. Through it all, his big brother was right behind
him.
When he made it to the end zone,
the Hodags celebrated by lifting him onto their shoulders, to cheers from the
audience.
"When they went to go lift him
up at the end, that was the
minute. That was the big minute for us and even some of our coaches
were tearing up and that's a weird thing because I haven't seen that side of
them," coach Mark Apfel told NBC 12.
Apfel and Gabe's family said they
wanted to "do something special" for him because of the incredible
influence he's been on the team this season.
"[When] we're losing and it's
kind of a rough game, he'll go up to a
player, give him a hug, just changes your mood," Owen told ABC
9.
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