Life lessons unfold out on the football field every day. For Tohopekaliga High School in Osceola County, they rolled in this year. Spectrum sports 360 reporter Despina Barton explains how the team has adopted a Lebron James super fan Edwin Defendini and in the process the two are finding comfort in extending the Tiger family.
- Edwin was diagnosed with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy at 5 years old
- He's a huge sports fan and became a part of Toho's football team this fall
- Defendini attends practices, games and takes part in game day traditions with Tigers
Stepping out on to the football field on Friday nights is a rush.
“I am sure there were some jitters going on, I hope he knows that’s normal for football players,” Tohopekaliga Head Football Coach Marc Deas said.
Captain Edwin Defendini got the full experience as a Toho Tiger week two against Dixie Hollins as he took part in the coin toss on August 30th.
“I’m sure that was a very overwhelming experience but in positive way,” Deas added.
To understand the magnitude of the moment you have to rewind eight days earlier. That’s when Coach Deas and the Tigers first made him a member of their team.
“It was an exciting moment,” senior Blake McCollough explained. “Like he didn’t know it but we all knew what was going to happen. He didn’t know.”
In handing over the #23 Tiger’s jersey to Edwin, the team has opened their arms, practices and sidelines to the freshman.
“Just being around him and even having our players being around him and just seeing him smile –having him talk to you –you can tell he’s kind of shy but once he breaks out of that shell he’s full of life,” Deas added.
The partnership has been magical.
“It’s just amazing to see him laughing and joking with the guys and running around the field,” Edwin’s paraprofessional Debbie Tanner said. “It’s just been something he’s wanted for a long time. I think he got to the point where he didn’t think he would be a part of a team.”
See as a young child growing up in Puerto Rico, Edwin was very active and played sports. In Pre-k though, teachers noticed he was having trouble jumping, walking and keeping up with other kids.
His parents took him to specialist where they discovered he had an aggressive form of muscular dystrophy and he was diagnosed with Duchenne’s at five years-old.
The family moved to Central Florida for him to get treatment.
And while there are some down days this inspiring relationship, between the team and Edwin, positively impacts everyone involved.
“Just his personality, he’s shy and I was shy when I first moved here and I know how that feels to be the new kid around and try to embrace him into us,” senior center Macchia Lohrer said of what draws him to Edwin.
Out on the football field he is just one of the guys again.
“If he could I think he would be here every day this is what he lives for,” Tanner said.