by John Roach from NOLA.com:
Friday's game against the Pittsburgh Power counted as a loss for the New Orleans VooDoo, but not every local fan saw it that way. Andrew Lafourcade, a 14-year-old boy with Down Syndrome, got a moment he--and those who witnessed it--won't soon forget.
After VooDoo kick returner Brent Holmes received the "opening kick," he pitched it to Lafourcade, who was decked in a VooDoo uniform. Lafourcade proceeded to zig-zag his way through Power defenders, with his VooDoo teammates cheering him on, all the way for a touchdown.
Lafourcade punctuated his score with a salsa-style touchdown dance. "This day has made Andrew's life," his mother Ann told the team afterward. "He was so excited and I was so proud of him for getting the job done."
Lafourcade, who is not able to play sports at a playground any more because of insurance restrictions, plays baseball and soccer in the Miracle League of Greater New Orleans. The Miracle League is designed to serve kids who cannot be accommodated by established leagues because their special needs and/or disabilities.
The vision of the program is to provide any disabled child, regardless of their level of disability, the opportunity to play team sports and enjoy the emotional and physical benefits of being part of a team.
No comments:
Post a Comment