ORLANDO, Fla. — At Orlando Christian Prep, football is family.
"We always teach love family first," coach Guerschom Demosthenes said. "The acronym is F-A-M-I-L-Y, forget about me. I love you, and that is what we preach here."
Orlando Christian Prep quarterback Nico Flores is passionate about the game of football. He has been around football his whole life. He uses the game as a way to display another side of his personality.
"It’s more a way to express myself outside of just school and whatever else I do. I really love football," Nico said.
Football is also a family affair for the Flores family. Nico’s dad grew up playing the sport, and his mom is heavily involved with the program. That passion is something that has brought his family together, especially in a time of need.
"Not only we teach football, we teach about life," Demosthenes said.
As a teenager, Nico has learned some tough lessons about life.
In May 2023, Nico’s mom Britney was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36.
"She has beaten cancer, and I love her for it," Nico said.
She was diagnosed after having a preventive mastectomy.
"I was speechless," Britney said.
He wears a pink mouthpiece as a reminder.
"I was shocked," Nico said. "I didn’t know what the state of her situation was, and I didn’t know what could happen."
Britney said she knew something was wrong when her doctor's office called and left a message that they needed to talk.
"Thirty days prior, I had a lumpectomy, and there was nothing in my pathology report," she said. "So literally in about 30 days, one surgery to the next, there was breast cancer."
On September 14, 2023, she began her chemotherapy treatment.
"I went through four IV chemos, so I did it through my veins," Britney said.
Britney completed chemotherapy in November 2023. She said battling the disease changed her perspective, and caused her to see life through a different lens.
"Just understanding that tomorrow is not promised," she said. "Really living one day at a time without regret. It also changed me in a way of being more dependent, needing help."
Nico helped with the chores, like sweeping the floors and cleaning around the house.
"Immediately, I wanted to help out as much as I can," he said. "However I can, and I wanted to be there for her and care for her."
He said he wanted to make her happy.
"Someone needed to step up, and it was going to be me to help her around the house, help wherever I can," Nico said. "I learned that I can be that person that my parents can lean on."
"It’s usually mom taking care of the kids. But the fact he had to take care of me, bringing me meals in bed, help me get up, help me get to the bathroom, help me take showers," Britney said. "He had help me get into spaces and do things that weren’t normal. He had to mature."
During the same time, Nico was just starting his football journey as an Orlando Christian Prep freshman. The game and his OCP football family helped take his mind off his mother's illness.
"He had an outlet," Britney said. "He had OCP family to support on those times where mom and dad may of not been available."
Now Britney helps out the team in her first year as a team photographer. Being on the sidelines and capturing the moments during a game has helped with her recovery.
"Since chemotherapy, this has been great therapy for me to come out to support the Orlando Christian Prep, OCP family," Britney said.
Nico said he enjoys seeing her do it.
"She loves doing it, and it's something she prides herself into doing and it helps," Nico said. "It's an outlet for her, just like football is an outlet for me, and just see her smiling and having the same joy I have on the game and enjoy it with me."
