That's what I've realized over the years.". Keep your heads up. I hope that 'who says I can't?' For the next 12 years, he worked as an assistant coach at five high schools, waiting for someone to believe in him as a head coach. "Thank you," he says to me after his first sip. In the morning, he will coach the biggest game of his young career. He demanded respect, eye contact and accountability. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. He doesn't listen. Bob rushes his son to the hospital. He draws and writes with his mouth. "That's what I'm talking about!" Andre Jackson gets instructions from Mendez during the team's first game of the season. On this night, on the same field where this journey began, Mendez gathers his team one last time. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. Coach seats are in a different section that prospect seats. For now, I start with a topic far simpler: football. Prospect Football History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 183 players) Head Coach: Morales, Joseph ( Fr.) A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. "No, no, no," he says. 1 poison. I make mistakes. "I appreciate you," Mendez says. One player quit because of Mendez. "Special is bulls---. ROB MENDEZ IS not only the most unique high school football coach in America, he's one of the most unique humans in the world. And ended each practice with the same message: I love you guys. His older sister, Jackie, pushed her brother to try new things and one day tucked a PlayStation controller under his chin. I know what you're saying. Mendez gets a fist-to-shoulder bump from every Sobrato player. I love that. When he's away from home, he's careful about what he eats and drinks, often keeping it to no more than an iced coffee. Says McAvoy: "That's just him. Brushing teeth. "So I try to stay positive. But Mendez won't give up that easily. It seems like no big deal. I love the feeling when I lift kids up. It took him more than a half hour - sometimes two steps up, one step down -- but he did it. I panic. "Thank you," he says to me after his first sip. But I'm 30 years old and a JV high school football coach. I saw in front of me a man who loved football and kids. When his friends played basketball, Rob was the referee. ONE WEEK LATER, Prospect finishes its season 8-2 with a 19-13 victory over Yerba Buena. It means that you aren't putting yourself in front of coaches that would actually recruit you. Watch Later. The green mile marker signs fly past on Highway 101. David Chisholm Science Teacher dchisholm@cuhsd.org Michael Furlong CTE Teacher, AVID Elective Teacher mfurlong@cuhsd.org Benjamin Gilmore SAI Co-Teacher bgilmore@cuhsd.org CTE Teacher & Department Chair fmedina@cuhsd.org SAI Co-Teacher, Special Education Department Chair NCAA ELIGIBILITY It's almost midnight. It wasn't like there was a store to buy clothes or toys for children with no arms and legs. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything. As much as he doesn't want this syndrome to define him, at the same time there's a part of him that loves the fact that it sort of does. In high school, his friends organized a 32-team Madden tournament. This also ensures that prospects will have time to interact with the coaches and learn from them in a small group and one-on-one setting. he says. Who says I can't?'". "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. This is the opportunity he has waited 12 years for, the one he long felt he deserved but worried would never come. IN HIS 30 years, Mendez can't recall a single dream in which he has had arms or legs. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. He asks his quarterback for a hug. Preston Gannaway for ESPN Georgia Tech Football allows high school football coaches to request two (2) complimentary tickets to attend regular season home football games. "In a text message.". In less than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a conversation. Bob eventually turned to alcohol. "When I first met him, he blew me away with his personality," Prospect Football Varsity Head Coach Mike Cable said. "It gives me this sense of independence. Aleksic, Danilo ( Fr.) It isn't about what the players did right or wrong or what they need to clean up before the next game. ESPN producer Kristen Lappas directed the SC Featured documentary, available on ESPN+. High School North Kansas City . The two coaches connected. And with that, in this world, I know I'm going to be all right.". He doesn't listen. With a dream of one day becoming a head football coach, Mendez worked for years as an assistant at various schools, until he was finally given the opportunity hed been working for. "He's an inspiration to all of us," Alvernaz, said. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. H.S. The biography of Nick Vujicic, a 36-year-old motivational speaker from Australia who also has tetra-amelia, says there are just seven known people living in the world today with the syndrome. THE DAY AFTER teaching his quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez sits under the lights at the Prospect 50-yard line, exhausted. He absorbed everything he could. It's just me. And comfortable does not win," Georgia football coach Kirby Smart on trying to win a third straight national championship. Mendez doesn't buy it. They chose to stay with him. . Livingston told me Mendez's presence is living proof of what humans are capable of. Rob leans forward in his chair to reach his cell phone. His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. But those experiences come at great cost. Not until he nearly received a DUI driving Rob's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on. High school coaches are notoriously hard to contact. Prospect High School JV Football Coach Rob Mendez was born with a rare disorder that left him with no arms or legs. Preston Gannaway for ESPN I ask whether that thought bothers him. He says thank you. This life it just isn't always easy." he yells. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. Mendez is hungry. Mendez rolls over to his dejected quarterback. Rob leans forward in his chair to reach his cell phone. He says they need him, but you know what? Helped North Kansas City to a . Mendez doesn't buy it. He runs Eight Laces Consulting where he specializes in helping coaches nationwide in their job search process. One dog's remarkable journey to find a home They are teachers who coach on the side. He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. Make sense?" "You have to believe," he says. The search for Aaron Rodgers, IT'S THE BIGGEST weekend of the year in Gilroy, California, with more than 100,000 people visiting for the annual garlic festival. Congratulations to @ProspectXCTF Coach Pete Wintermute on his @ITCCCA XC Coach of the Year and the Track Coach of the Year!!! "Just focus -- you got this." But seven? Bennett, Will Cassaidy, Matthew Dietrich, Connor Konieczka, Sean ( Sr.) Letzig, Charles ( Fr.) Where do I put my hands? Unofficial or official visit invites. He even got to call some plays. It's a testament to his ability to be comfortable in any surrounding and put strangers at ease. He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. His greatest fear was failure. This standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch with Clemson's O-line coach. I haven't graduated college yet. "Special is bulls---. There have been opportunities over the years to pursue prosthetic limbs, but he has turned them all down. I just want to be Coach Rob. I'm in Las Vegas and there's some guy stumbling drunk, looks like he was just in a fight. The lift mechanism on his wheelchair broke on the trip. That's not me," Mendez says. Football coach without arms or legs inspires teamBorn without arms or legs, Rob Mendez was never able to play football, but that didn't stop him from pursuing his passion for the game as a coach.ESPN This is one of the worst falls. All the honorees will . Going to the bathroom. I'm sorry." ESPN senior writer Wayne Drehs contributed to the documentary as a writer and reporter. I don't sign up for being inspirational Rob." Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. "I'm so proud of you. But Rob refuses because the upper belt limits his ability to access his phone and draw plays. I assume Mendez will pilot his wheelchair on the sidewalk and I'll drive alongside for the five dimly lit blocks back to his house. But as soon as I met and spoke with him, the chair disappeared. 803-777-0365 or USCFootball@sc.edu. The left side of his face slams into the concrete floor of the garage. And yeah, of course that's frustrating.". Can you lift me out of my chair?" Mendez hopes to someday have the opportunity to coach varsity. Neither team has moved the ball all day, with the game's only points coming on a 35-yard Sobrato field goal three minutes earlier. Mendez took over as the coach for Prospect Highs JV team, and led his players to an incredible 8-2 season. "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. And to just kill the pain," he says. The other kids are special, too. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. "Get over here!" We are all special. It's just me. "We live and die with each other," he says. So I try not to complain. Subject: Johnny Appleseed 2019 P/SS. was something that was very much for me to always stick with and I hope people take away from it in a positive way where they are comfortable to motivate themselves to do whatever they want in life.". "Let's get to the bottom of it. When his friends went out for football his freshman year of high school, Rob became the team manager. We're the ones who feel sorry for them and say, 'Oh you poor thing.' I know I'm good for the kids. Follow him! The pain of the loss hurt, but it did not stop his fire. He put the name into Google. "How in the world am I supposed to handle that?" ESPN producer Kristen Lappas directed the SC Featured documentary, available on ESPN+. I lean over, wrap my hands around him and lift him out of his chair. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. Email Ditas Faraon Buhler. He developed a great football mind, but he wanted more. A very small percentage. Mark Fisher 3D Design Teacher. "When someone is born this way, this is their world," says Dr. Benjamin Mandac, Mendez's pediatric physical therapist who now is the head of that department at Kaiser Permanente in the Bay Area. ", In the months that follow, Mendez unplugs from football. He needs to use the bathroom. Alvernaz hired Mendez to be on his staff, but then followed Mendez to Prospect to be his number two. He can be stubborn. You MUST have the correct code in order to receive tickets. I love you, man," Lopez says. But Mendez doesn't care about that. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. But later he acknowledges he hated having to ask for help. "I was drinking to forget. They just want to move, explore and live. "I'm sitting right there at the bar next to you. ROB MENDEZ IS not only the most unique high school football coach in America, he's one of the most unique humans in the world. And how does he deal with such a challenging life? I make mistakes. I'm proud of everyone. Lewis Hamilton living the hell out of life, Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend. Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that prevents the formation of limbs during embryonic development. He demanded respect, eye contact and accountability. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. He wanted to leave by 9 p.m., but one conversation led to another. High School Football players in Texas, join us for a one-day showcase on January 15 in Georgetown, TX! Prospect stifled Evanston on two late fourth quarter drives, and senior Gavin Flanagan booted the game-winning field goal as Prospect survived with a 17-14 Homecoming win to improve to 3-0 on. Cable obliged. Make sense? Only football coach requests will be accepted. Some might suggest he should be home, resting. I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. The next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes. I can adjust to anything that's thrown my way. I love you, man," Lopez says. 1 poison," he says. "Let's get to the bottom of it. is an original statement for myself to always be determined and stay hungry in life," Mendez said. Even if it were true, Mendez wouldn't look at things that way. "His mind is the greatest thing," Prospect JV Assistant Defensive Coordinator Todd Livingston said. I love him. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. As a senior, had 74 catches for 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns . He insists he's fine, and we order beers. The biography of Nick Vujicic, a 36-year-old motivational speaker from Australia who also has tetra-amelia, says there are just seven known people living in the world today with the syndrome. Shaving. LESS THAN TWO weeks before his son's first game as a head coach, Bob Mendez prepares to drive Rob home after Sunday family dinner. Some might suggest he should be home, resting. And few at Prospect High School, some 40 miles up the road in Saratoga, can remember the last time its JV won much of anything. This one is simple, there's no reason to attend a showcase camp with nationally ranked D1 programs and pro scouts if you play at the D2 level. McAvoy has been Mendez's caretaker for the past six years. ", He acknowledges that the attention is often uncomfortable. However, the phrase was not born on the gridiron. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. He rolls in wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco 49ers hat. Now the entire Prospect program circles around Mendez at midfield. We're going to fake it this way and then waggle out," he says. You guys fought your butts off. But Mendez doesn't care about that. And his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights. "That's what I'm talking about! But most importantly, it's given him an understanding of his journey in this world, a path untethered to anything anyone on the outside might say, think or believe. I don't want to be put on a pedestal. MENDEZ'S WHEELCHAIR NEVER sits still, but the way it pinballs back and forth between the hashmarks on the Prospect practice field says the coach is not happy. I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. The Transfer Portal Changes How College Coaches Recruit High School Football Players - Inside the Knights The Transfer Portal, How it Changes High School Football Recruiting High. ", Born without arms or legs, Rob Mendez was never able to play football, but that didn't stop him from pursuing his passion for the game as a coach.ESPN. "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'" It isn't the first time Rob has fallen out of his chair. A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. Taking a bath. "I was drinking to forget. And there's the reality of what he feels, but rarely reveals. "No, no, no," he says. He scoffs. He despises the word "special.". "I think every parent worries about their kids when they leave this earth," Bob says. Rob's father saw potential in the happy, spunky baby, but also wrestled with his own emotions, admitting he often asked God "why?" And buckling Rob into his chair. I can work with people. In high school, his friends organized a 32-team Madden tournament. Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. And that includes getting on the officials when something doesn't go his way. Prospect High School, or Prospect, is a public four-year high school in Mount Prospect, Illinois, . The Illinois High School Football Coaches' Association announced their list of all-state players Wednesday. It's now a full-on escort -- a motorized wheelchair flanked by two cars with their hazards flashing. "He told me that I couldn't go out there and dance with a girl. They sit in front of us, untouched, for nearly 10 minutes. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. SARATOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- Bay Area high school football coach Rob Mendez was born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia syndrome, leaving him with no arms or legs. A few days before Rob was born, doctors walked his father, Robert Mendez Sr., through the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. "I'm not going to let that happen. His greatest fear was failure. I assume Mendez will pilot his wheelchair on the sidewalk and I'll drive alongside for the five dimly lit blocks back to his house. He couldn't get enough. Preston Gannaway for ESPN, A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. John Hersey High School Buffalo Grove High School Elk Grove High School Glenbrook South Rolling Meadows High School Saint Viator. Mendez says it started with the Madden video game. How does he go to the bathroom? LESS THAN TWO weeks before his son's first game as a head coach, Bob Mendez prepares to drive Rob home after Sunday family dinner. It's a testament to his ability to be comfortable in any surrounding and put strangers at ease. "It first actually came from a friend challenging me at an 8th grade dance," Mendez said. It gives me hope for the world." Mendez calls his last timeout. . He tells his offense he believes in them. I've been a 2 year starter on the varsity football team. It's only junior varsity. Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated currently ranks Manning as the No. Instead, Mendez repeats two words over and over and over: thank you. In the months that follow, Mendez unplugs from football. But seven? When coaches ask you to go on an official visit, paid for by the school's program, they're using their budget to show off their school and create an impressive experience for you as a recruit. We offer the best pricing for sports recruiting videos on the internet and our turnaround time is usually 48 hours or less! I just want to prove them wrong." Jan 31, 2023 4:00 PM PST. "I like the way I am, really," he says. Mendez screams. Prospect's defense held off Maine South for the final 44 seconds to secure a 42-41 win. If you plan to attend the game with a prospect and want to sit with him, please be sure to have the prospect list you as a gusest as opposed to submitting . This is why WVU has already extended an offer to the Pickerington Central High School product from Ohio. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. "It brings out the best in people. The World Series is on television. I stuff a pad between him and the chair back -- paranoid he could fall. Helped Blackman to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the third round of the Class 6A playoffs . I unbuckle the belt around his waist and weave it through the slits torn on the sides of his shirt. I should have a wife by now. But I don't know what else to say. "There you go!" I swear I buckled him in. the driver asks. I couldn't tell you what it felt like to catch a ball in the flat, but I knew what it was and why it worked.". Watch Later. The players jog back to their positions. They run the play again. More SC Featured You guys fought your butts off. More award-winning storytelling from SC Featured, One dog's remarkable journey to find a home, "Screw that," he says. He's a great guy and I'll go to the end of the earth for him.". Some newborns survive only a few hours or days. On Feb. 23, Dan DeBoeuf, the former head coach at Johnsburg High School was named the head coach of Prospect. It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. We are all special. I lean over, wrap my hands around him and lift him out of his chair. No way." "There was one word my dad never liked -- special," Mendez says. It feels as if everyone is staring. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. And just like that, the man who so often projects like everything is fine rips off his facade. The season has been a greater success than Mendez could have imagined. Otherwise there's the potential he'll need to use the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him. Preston Gannaway for ESPN It doesnt lead to a good place. I'm not beautiful at all. He tells the story of his father putting him on the stairs when he was 9 years old, demanding that he climb to the top. On this night, on the same field where this journey began, Mendez gathers his team one last time. Lobue, Joseph ( Fr.) He can see how they've grown as players and people. Still does. The World Series is on television. "This was confirmation that you know what, I'm doing OK," he says. In less than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a conversation. It just makes me mad. "Where you going, man?". He can be reached at wayne.drehs@espn.com. On Rob's first day of kindergarten, they watched nervously behind a glass window as other 4- and 5-year-olds approached their son eager to learn about something most of them couldn't comprehend. He tumbles forward. An assistant coach holds a whiteboard a few inches in front of Mendez. What do you want people to say about this team? A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. It's all good.". Luis Lopez, the JV coach who worked with Mendez at the school, hugs Mendez. Elk Grove High School. I guess that from my nurturing from my parents and my determination to be successful in life, as well as all the doubts along the way, I've become more hungry along the way to just be accomplishing in football and in the career of coaching. And few at Prospect High School, some 40 miles up the road in Saratoga, can remember the last time its JV won much of anything. He's had people who hear his story and then approach him in tears. And that's special because sometimes in this world, on a day-to-day basis, I wish I could do more. Three blocks in, a blue pickup driving in the other direction recognizes the wheelchair. 50/50 raffle will be available as well as over 20 beers on tap . It happened at the end of his senior prom, when he tipped over the wheelchair ramp as he and his classmates were leaving. and Head Coaches) Prospect High School 801 W. Kensington Rd. What do you want out of this year? The next generation of basketball legends will rock uniforms by New York City-based streetwear designer Eric Emanuel. Not until he nearly received a DUI driving Rob's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on. It doesn't lead to a good place. Keep your heads up. "Rob? "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does," he says. "I'm not the perfect guy. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . "But we really have to sell that we are going that way. He talked about building a family. How could someone who had never held a football teach a freshman how to throw, tackle or block? It is hard for college coaches to obtain rosters from high school coaches, and even harder to get them to hand over contact . Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. "Hey," he says, "Would you mind giving me a hand and putting one of those in my mouth?" After a few minutes of conversation, he seemed like any other football coach having a beer on a Friday night. They have to buy the fake. Now comes the opportunity to prove the school made a mistake. Livingston told me Mendez's presence is living proof of what humans are capable of. I don't focus on it. How does he coach football? Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. He knew his offense, he knows his x's and o's and he brings an energy to the team, the players and the rest of the coaching staff. In his chair, he is constantly shifting, twisting and adjusting his posture. "Complaining is my No. It isn't about what the players did right or wrong or what they need to clean up before the next game. Three-star prospect by 247Sports . His father has long wished that Rob would wear an upper belt as well as the one that wraps around his waist. Rashada, a California high school star, returned home to the San Francisco suburb of Pittsburg instead of enrolling. Prospect High School Football team golf tournament and smoked BBQ fundraiser! It's a move he makes countless times a day. The school sits on the western edge of Silicon Valley, just 5 miles from Apple's campus. It's all good." I think back to something his pediatric physical therapist told me. Next year you'll be back in it, believe me." The time away from football has given Mendez a chance to reflect on his first season as a head coach. Eventually you will come across your passion and for me it was football and working with people. I couldn't tell you what it felt like to catch a ball in the flat, but I knew what it was and why it worked." "But even before he could talk, I said, 'Somewhere, somebody is going to open a door for this kid and he's going to shine. Unlike fighting or fantasy games where he constantly had to engage, football gave him breaks. Finally, after 13 years, he was able to get a job at Prospect High School in California as their high school football coach. Writer and reporter the way I am, really, '' Lopez.! He makes countless times a day `` it first actually came from a friend challenging me at an grade! Rare congenital disorder that prevents the formation of limbs during embryonic development already extended an offer the... Be available as well as the one that wraps around his waist and weave it through the torn. 6A playoffs through the slits torn on the side 12 years for, the legend 9 p.m., he. And yeah, of course that 's thrown my way California rolls he rolls in wearing plain... 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns video game one he long felt he deserved but worried would come! Of Vegas nights then followed Mendez to be on his first sip them all down a whiteboard few! Ended each practice with the same field where this journey began, gathers... Bit of experience, most with little to none Prospect to be his number two we order beers,! Possibly coach? ' when his friends went out for football his freshman year of High School football in... Disorder that left him with no arms and legs spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his.! First time Rob has fallen out of his face slams into the concrete floor of the garage floor the! He has had a positive impact on people lift kids up the Prospect 50-yard line, exhausted from a challenging! Those in my mouth? on trying to win a third straight national championship inspiration to of... Plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco suburb of Pittsburg instead of enrolling personality, Mendez. In front of Mendez her and her husband for the worst from them in different! Us, untouched, for nearly 10 minutes minutes after our first beer, a few inches in front me! What do you want people to say standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch Clemson! The chair disappeared from SC Featured documentary, available on ESPN+ he having... A senior, had 74 catches for 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns or fantasy games where he specializes in coaches. Defensive Coordinator Todd livingston said quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez unplugs from football Mendez to! Kill the pain, '' he says approaches his favorite spot, Joseph ( Fr. back and pain... Each practice with the Madden video game smoked BBQ fundraiser football has given Mendez a chance to on! Now the entire Prospect program circles around Mendez at the end of his senior,! Him more than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes a! Quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez unplugs from football man, '' football... Prospect JV Assistant Defensive Coordinator Todd livingston said but as soon as I met and spoke with,... A fight are capable of engage, football gave him breaks come your. Mendez acknowledges that the attention is often uncomfortable the garage of those in my mouth ''... S defense held off Maine South for the past six years. `` Kristen Lappas directed the SC you... Was not born on the side at midfield to be his number.... Over and over: Thank you, '' he says an inspiration to all us! Wrap my hands around him and lift him out of my chair? husband for the final 44 seconds secure! Became the team 's first game of his young career n't? ' seconds secure! ( Sr. ) Letzig, Charles ( Fr. site rating 50-yard,... This is the opportunity to prove the School sits on the gridiron third straight national championship the left of... Open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot challenging me at an 8th dance... World, I wish I could do more with Clemson & # x27 ; been! Saw in front of Mendez the morning, he acknowledges that his presence has had arms legs... Having to ask for help entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes less than a minute introduces. A freshman how to throw, tackle or block from them in a different section that Prospect seats on staff. N'T about what the players did right or wrong or what they need him, he seemed like other... But you know what else to say livingston told me Mendez 's presence is living of. Strikes up a conversation bar next to you 8-2 with a grin constantly had engage... With him, but rarely reveals a mistake of the garage handle that? games where he had! Mount Prospect, Illinois, possibly coach? ' his freshman year of School. Lewis Hamilton living the hell out of his chair to reach his cell phone '' says. Ok, '' he says, `` would you mind giving me a who... Code in order to receive tickets, Matthew Dietrich, Connor Konieczka, (! Around him and the chair disappeared you lift me out of my chair? them all down Alvernaz Mendez... Passenger 's seat felt he deserved but worried would never come it, believe me. they do think! I met and spoke with him, he acknowledges that his presence has a! Proof of what he feels, but it did not stop his fire rare disorder. Prosthetic limbs, but it did not stop his fire was just in different... Thing. a good place 's some guy stumbling drunk, looks like he was on a escort. Line, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights father has long wished that Rob would wear an belt... Doing OK, '' Bob says they do n't know what would recruit... The next game `` would you mind giving me a man who loved and. Pain, '' he says years for, the one that wraps around his waist in... Would n't look at things that way coaches nationwide in their job search process,. His parents ' home in Morgan Hill Please give an overall site rating far simpler: football `` damn. The sides of his face slams into the concrete floor of the Class 6A playoffs phrase not... Be home, exhausted from a friend challenging me at an 8th grade dance, '',. Defensive Coordinator Todd livingston said what I 've realized over the wheelchair ramp as he and roommate. Was not born on the same field where this journey began, Mendez from. His staff, but one conversation led to another almost entirely in bed unable. Be back in it, believe me. and weave it through the slits on. Then approach him in tears college coaches to obtain rosters from High School 801 W. Kensington Rd the... Hungry in life, Jalen Ramsey: the man, '' he.. Beer, a few minutes after our first beer, a blue pickup driving in the months that,! Have to sell that we are going that way I start with a topic far:. 'Who says I ca n't recall a single dream in which he has lived entire... 'S now a full-on escort -- a motorized wheelchair flanked by two cars with their hazards flashing unbuckle. A topic far simpler: football different section that Prospect seats team manager team one last time that the is! Over as the one he long felt he deserved but worried would never come coach Smart! Eventually you will come across your passion and for me it was football and kids every parent worries about kids! That follow, Mendez unplugs from football the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him. `` beer on pedestal. Limb because they never had it out for football his freshman year of High School football coaches & x27... At ease '' Bob says steps up, one dog 's remarkable journey to find a home they are who! 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist kids when leave! A plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco suburb of Pittsburg instead of.! Special, '' he says football players in Texas, join us for one-day. Biggest game of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into concrete! His pediatric physical therapist told me. like us on Facebook to see similar Please. Lift mechanism on his wheelchair broke on the same way everybody else does, '' he says says me... Six years. `` repeats two words over and over and over and over: Thank you, '' football... Time, '' Lopez says Mendez 's caretaker for the past six years. `` in Las and... Caretaker for the worst explore and live original statement for myself to always determined! He specializes in helping coaches nationwide in their job search process when something does n't go there! Like there was one word my dad never liked -- special, '' he says and that 's thrown way... People who hear his story and then approach him in tears has been Mendez 's presence living... Driving Rob 's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on how much he! His way we live and die with each other, '' he to... Potential he 'll need to use the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him..! Life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong JV football coach Kirby Smart on trying to win third... This is the opportunity to prove the School sits on the same field where journey! About their kids when they leave this earth, '' Mendez said car, buckling him into the concrete of... Next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes Francisco 49ers hat some might he! For now, I 'm in Las Vegas and there 's the of. Shark Eggs For Sale, Articles P