This took place during an important football game between two rivals with no love lost...Atlee High and Varina High, in Richmond, Virginia.
It was late in the fourth quarter. Trash-talking abounded in this last home game at Atlee Field. So much so, that four technicals were called for such, and two players were even kicked -out for going at it earlier in the quarter.
And then Atlee senior Sepp Shirey entered the game.
Sepp was born with a severe form of cerebral palsy. On his best days, he is aided with forearm crutches. His first steps ever unaided by a device was when he was 6.
Playing football.
“He dropped his walker and he was walking across the front yard. He was tired of his walker slowing him down too much. That was the first time he had ever taken steps on his own,” said his father, Hunter.
Head Coach Matt Gray decided that Sepp should get the ball a few more times, in front of his friends and teammates. It might be the last time he would ever get such an opportunity.
The hope was that Sepp can take the ball a few times. He has taken the field before. It is rare when he can walk or run more than a few feet at best before falling down, as the first play in the video indicates.
But on the second play… something happened.
For 80 yards.
"I looked in his eyes when he was running," said Varina linebacker Taesean Crutchfield. "I looked at him, I was clapping him on. I just wanted him to score because I knew it would be a good feeling for him.”
His teammates at Verina agreed.
Taesean recalled that as Sepp continued to stay on his feet and headed to the end zone, "I was like, 'Dang! Is this really going on? I could feel it inside. I don't know why, but I loved him as a person because he's got more heart than anybody."
Said Sepp,"Once I collapsed into the end zone, a bunch of their players were, along with my teammates, were right there to help me up. That really struck me as, wow, that's really cool."
Varina coach Stu Brown was very proud of his team. "I turned and looked at our coaching staff and our players, I know there weren't many dry eyes in that stadium. To watch our kids make that decision and to escort him into that end zone knowing that's the dream of a lifetime. It meant everything.”
'We learned more from him than what anyone thought we gave him. The definition of physical and mental toughness is Sepp marching 80 yards.”
"It's the toughest 80-yard run I've ever witnessed. I'll tell you that."
The importance of who won or lost or the importance of the game mattered very little. The trash-talk, rivalry and differences went out the door.
This is further proof that not all is lost. That when given a chance for compassion, many of our youth..our future..will know what to do when the time comes.