If you want to make a
difference in someone’s life start by being kind over being mean.
Just the other day I saw something
that was so refreshing, so nice to see, I just felt I had to share it with you.
My wife was in a different room of the house when she saw a video on YouTube
and told me I should watch it as well. So, when I was done brailing in the
kitchen, I sauntered over to the laptop in the living room and was pleasantly
surprised by something that made me smile. I think it will make you smile too.
So, before I go any further, here it
is…… (instructions for video link: right click on the colored http
link below, then click on open hyperlink, then click on play, sit
through commercial and then click play again and enjoy)
Allow me to summarize, just in case
the YouTube clip didn’t function properly.
In a world where we are constantly
surrounded by negative role models this basketball video is a like a breath of
fresh air. This story had it all: a.) underdog b.) caring coach c.) compassionate
teammates d.) crying mom e.) the unexpected. Alone it was a nice story, the way
it ended - WOW.
When I first started watching it I began thinking “I’ve seen this kind of thing before,” and wasn’t
expecting much. Man, was I wrong.
Hollywood could not have written a
better script. The underdog, Mitchell Marcus, is a special needs teenager with a developmental disability, who is a senior at Coronado High School in
El Paso, Texas. He happens to be the team manager, with a deep love for the game of
basketball, but had never suited up to play in a game.
Then the caring coach
surprises Mitchell in the last game of the season by allowing his manager to
suit up. The coach, Peter Morales, was even willing to sacrifice the outcome
and put Mitchell in regardless of the score. So,with about a minute and half to go, with Coronado up by ten
points, coach Morales put Mitchell in and gave him his chance to score, his
moment.
Despite the efforts of his compassionate
teammates, going out of their way to get him the ball, each time Mitchell
shot the ball it would not go into the hoop. The game seemed destined to end
without Mitchell making a basket. To top it off, with less than ten seconds to go
he booted the ball out of bounds. It looked like he would never get his name in
the box score.
With disappointment hanging in the
air, then came the crying mom moment. There seemed to be no fairytale
ending in sight as Mitchell’s mom made a cameo. I thought she was going to say
how much she loved her son and that it didn’t matter if he scored or not, that
he was still a winner for trying his best. However, she was speaking of it as a
moment she will never forget.
Then it, the unexpected,
happened. Jonathan Montanez, a senior forward for rival Franklin high school,
took fate into his own hands. In an unbelievable gesture of pure kindness, he
called Mitchell’s name and passed him the ball. The rest is history as Mitchell
finally sunk the shot and the fans rushed the court.
With one simple pass, a young man
showed a whole nation that, “kindness is treating others how you want to be
treated.” And in my book that is always nice to see.
Swavel
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