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A Special Gesture
  
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By CARMEN COLUNGA
While the glitz and glamour of homecoming raged outside of New Caney’s locker room, the Eagles gathered inside to pay homage to one of their biggest fans.
Eleven-year-old Connor Lewis looks up to these guys like they were his older brothers.
Connor, a part-time ball boy for New Caney High School’s football team, has blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that causes internal bleeding. The disorder, which is only reported to affect a few hundred people worldwide, consists mainly of abnormal blood vessels affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
Connor has had multiple transfusions over the years. Because of that, he cannot come to every practice and every game; however, he tries to make it as many times as his body allows.
His condition also prevents him from participating in physical activities, but he still helps out however he can.
Brandon Valdez, a senior on the Eagles’ team and a close friend of Connor, said he admires his strong character.
“Connor is a special kid. Even though he’s been thrown into something horrible, if you look at him, you couldn’t tell. I don’t think he pities himself at all,” Valdez said. “He has a positive attitude, and you can tell he likes sports, even though he might not be able to play any of them.”
Two months ago, thanks to a community fundraiser held July 19, Connor was able to go to Boston for a 20-hour surgery. Upon his return, Valdez got an idea: To show his admiration of Connor’s spirit and determination, he had everyone on New Caney’s football team autograph a football.
“I’m just one person, but I think since the whole team signed a football, it was a whole lot more special,” Valdez said. “As soon as I brought up the idea, everyone jumped behind it. It was a pretty positive reaction.”
The Eagles had originally planned to give the ball to Connor before their scheduled game against Houston Chavez Sept. 18, but that game was cancelled due to Hurricane Ike. Instead, they gave him the ball before homecoming on Oct. 3.
Connor appreciated the gesture and plans to keep the autographed ball in his room.
“[I think] it’s cool,” he said. “My favorite part of helping out is being on the field with the players.”
Although he is unable to participate in athletics, Connor, along with regular ball boys Dylan Kingcaid and Jordan Krackel, are a part of the team. The Eagles set aside time, away from the weekly rigors of football, to show they appreciate that support.
“It’s obvious that there are some kids [on the team] that have their hearts in the right place,” head coach Russell Roberts said. “It’s important to support people that have helped you along the way.”
Although this was one gesture of many, the football now placed in Connor’s room is a representation of the community’s desire to help the Lewis family.
“If it wasn’t for the community, the trip to Boston and this important surgery wouldn’t have been possible,” Roger and Kim Lewis, Connor’s parents, said. “It’s overwhelming how so many people helped us out. It was a big deal to us; there have been many tears because of it.”
The Lewis family said the surgery was successful and blood transfusions hopefully should be fazed out in the near future, giving hope to Connor and the fight against his rare disorder.
Eleven-year-old Connor Lewis looks up to these guys like they were his older brothers.
Connor, a part-time ball boy for New Caney High School’s football team, has blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that causes internal bleeding. The disorder, which is only reported to affect a few hundred people worldwide, consists mainly of abnormal blood vessels affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
Connor has had multiple transfusions over the years. Because of that, he cannot come to every practice and every game; however, he tries to make it as many times as his body allows.
His condition also prevents him from participating in physical activities, but he still helps out however he can.
Brandon Valdez, a senior on the Eagles’ team and a close friend of Connor, said he admires his strong character.
“Connor is a special kid. Even though he’s been thrown into something horrible, if you look at him, you couldn’t tell. I don’t think he pities himself at all,” Valdez said. “He has a positive attitude, and you can tell he likes sports, even though he might not be able to play any of them.”
Two months ago, thanks to a community fundraiser held July 19, Connor was able to go to Boston for a 20-hour surgery. Upon his return, Valdez got an idea: To show his admiration of Connor’s spirit and determination, he had everyone on New Caney’s football team autograph a football.
“I’m just one person, but I think since the whole team signed a football, it was a whole lot more special,” Valdez said. “As soon as I brought up the idea, everyone jumped behind it. It was a pretty positive reaction.”
The Eagles had originally planned to give the ball to Connor before their scheduled game against Houston Chavez Sept. 18, but that game was cancelled due to Hurricane Ike. Instead, they gave him the ball before homecoming on Oct. 3.
Connor appreciated the gesture and plans to keep the autographed ball in his room.
“[I think] it’s cool,” he said. “My favorite part of helping out is being on the field with the players.”
Although he is unable to participate in athletics, Connor, along with regular ball boys Dylan Kingcaid and Jordan Krackel, are a part of the team. The Eagles set aside time, away from the weekly rigors of football, to show they appreciate that support.
“It’s obvious that there are some kids [on the team] that have their hearts in the right place,” head coach Russell Roberts said. “It’s important to support people that have helped you along the way.”
Although this was one gesture of many, the football now placed in Connor’s room is a representation of the community’s desire to help the Lewis family.
“If it wasn’t for the community, the trip to Boston and this important surgery wouldn’t have been possible,” Roger and Kim Lewis, Connor’s parents, said. “It’s overwhelming how so many people helped us out. It was a big deal to us; there have been many tears because of it.”
The Lewis family said the surgery was successful and blood transfusions hopefully should be fazed out in the near future, giving hope to Connor and the fight against his rare disorder.
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