WHY I CRIED ON A FOOTBALL FIELD.
Posted by Rowena Ward on October 10th, 2016
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What a weekend! I woke up Saturday knowing I will be running around all day from football, to a birthday party, to a team party, to another birthday party. What I did not know was – I was going to be crying on a football field surrounded by strangers. Wonderful strangers.
Lota’s team made it to the play-offs on Saturday. As the captains made their way to the middle of the field for the coin toss, Lota’s head coach asked me to join them. He would not tell me why and so I assumed they wanted me to do the coin toss for the game which was crazy because there was absolutely nothing special about me.
Our opponent – Plain City Jr. Pee Wee Silver was already lined up and facing us. As we got closer I noticed the Plain City players holding white roses. As I try to make sense of what was going on, their head coach spoke.
He shared with us how him and his team were at his house last Saturday for a team get together when Lota’s story came on TV. (http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/brain-cancer-wont-keep-this-9-year-old-off-the-grid-iron) They were deeply touched by Lota’s will to fight that they wanted to do something special for Lota and his Mom. He spoke of how Lota’s courage and strength has inspired and empowered them to keep on going too. At this point I was a bawling mess.
As each football player handed me a rose my heart skipped a beat and the tears kept coming. I do not cry in front of people but my heart was too full to hold it all in. How thoughtful and kind of these people to even think of me – Lota’s Mom.
Each rose was nicely wrapped with a gray ribbon (Brain cancer ribbon) and embellished with a charm with words like Hope, Family and Faith. They gave us a beautiful wood creation with Lota’s motto on it. “I Got This. You Got This. We Got This” and they added With You. Each player also handed Lota a bracelet with the words “WE STAND TOGETHER”. They also gave Lota a shirt with his name and a shirt for his dad. On their helmets were the words “Lota Ward #1 – Grey Matters”. Wow!! How amazing are these people! How truly amazing is this community we live in. Thank you Plain City Silver for making me feel so loved and absolutely special. Thank you for thinking of Lota’s Mom. There are days that I do feel like I don’t really matter, that I’m irrelevant but Saturday you made it clear to me that I do matter. That I am relevant. That I am needed and wanted and absolutely worth a moment on the football field, a dozen white roses and more.
Football has a whole new meaning to me now.
Today, Keith and I talked about some very urgent matters that have come up. As the stress started to build up, I noticed the vase of beautiful white roses on my kitchen counter and I was quickly reminded to have faith, to hold on to hope and to never stop fighting for my family. The world is full of wonderful people. It truly is. We just have to look for them and if we can’t find them then let us be them. Thank you Plain City Jr. Pee Wee football team – the coaches, players and parents for your love. Thank you to everyone involved in pulling off this amazing surprise. You are all so wonderful and God Bless you all.
With Love,
~ Lota’s Mom.
I CAN”T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR GETTING THE BRACELETS TO US IN TIME FOR THIS SPECIAL OCCASION…IT HAS INSPIRED OUR FOOTBALL TEAM TO WANT TO KEEP DOING THIS FOR OTHERS…LOOK FOR FUTURE ORDERS FROM US…