AND THE CROWD GOES WILD: Double Amputee Scores Touchdown
By Jerry Patterson/OTSPORTSCHEK and Otis Telegraph
Photo: Jerry Patterson (Otis Telegraph/Otsportschek)
As featured in the Otis Telegraph on Sept. 6
Briggsdale sophomore Carlos Valdez caught his first touchdown pass last Friday night at the Briggsdale/Otis Football game. This is his first year out for football. As a young child, Carlos was severely injured in a boating accident that resulted in the loss of both legs.
The touchdown pass was set up on a 30-yard run by fellow sophomore #44 Theisen Tolbert to Otis’ 7-yard line.
“When the coach called my number to go in, I was so nervous but super excited,” said Carlos.
On the first down, Carlos heads across the goal-line and is wide open. The QB hits Carlos in the hands and he drops the ball. On the second down, Carlos heads for the goal-line and the QB makes a perfect pass but Carlos drops the ball. On the third snap Carlos heads for the end zone and he was thinking, “I have to catch it now. I don’t want to miss it again; that would be embarrassing.”
The fact that Carlos’ right and left arms don’t communicate makes it hard to catch the ball with both hands. The QB found his target in the end zone. The ball hit Carlos in the left bicep and he trapped it with his left arm to make the catch.
“I was so nervous but when I caught it, it was so exciting, and everyone came out on the field and picked me up and started to throw me around and everyone was giving me high fives.”
In this reporter’s opinion, “It was in all my years covering sports the best display of love, admiration and sportsmanship to a fellow player.”
We asked him about the challenges he has faced and what experience has taught him.
“It was hard at first, then I realized I can’t stop because life is not going to stop for me,” Carlos said. “Life is going to continue, and I don’t want to slow down or be held back, so I’ve got to keep up with life and keep going. Anything that comes my way I just deal with it as it comes and keep pursuing it through.”
He learned to ride horses at age five and in 2018 learned to snow ski.
Carlos’ favorite subjects at school are science and lunch.
“Oh!,” he said. “I guess lunch isn’t a subject.”
His long-term goal is to be a Neurosurgeon.
