Editor:

I am a teacher at James Wood High School, and several years ago I was approached by a student in the hallway who was excited because I was wearing a West Virginia University jacket. His name is Kevin Freeland, and Kevin is not an ordinary young man. He has the courage of a soldier, the compassion of a nurse, the innocence of child at their first Christmas, a love of WVU football like a seasoned Mountaineer and the faith of a minister.

Kevin also has an inoperable brain tumor that threatens his young life.

In the past five years he has had 29 surgeries. He has had to learn how to walk, speak and eat all over again. Complications from the tumor have caused Kevin to need a tracheotomy to help him breathe.

More than once Kevin’s gentle spirit and positive disposition have been the topics of conversation in the teachers lounge. Many of us have tried to make Kevin’s dream of meeting the WVU football team come true. A colleague of mine, Bruce Fowler, made it happen. Bruce attends church with the parents of Nate Sowers, and Nate made it possible for Kevin’s dream to come true on April 11. I was invited along, and the entire experience was one I will cherish all my life.

Mike Kerin welcomed us to the practice facility around 4 in the afternoon. As we walked through the doors of the practice facility, Kevin had to be held in the standing position because his knees were shaking so badly. As we watched the team practice, Kevin was awestruck. He was screaming for Pat White, almost passed out when he realized that the person he had just bumped into was Noel Divine, and sat in awe as he watched his idols play. During this time, Reed Williams came to the sidelines to talk to Kevin, take pictures and welcome Kevin to the practice.

At the end of practice, although exhaustion was evident on the players’ faces, they filed off the field, and instead of heading to the showers and rest of the locker-room, they crowded around Kevin, welcoming him into their fold. I was afraid that Kevin would literally pass out. The pure innocence and ecstasy of his face, I will never forget.

The players treated him as if he were a member of the team. Each one let Kevin hug them, signed autographs, laughed with him and made the day so amazingly special that it brought tears to many eyes.

Waiting at the back of the pack was Patrick White, WVU’s star quarterback and a Daphne native. When Kevin met our humble quarterback, he screamed and fell to the Astroturf. I thought he had passed out, but he was mimicking the motions of worshiping an idol. Pat handled it all in stride. He treated Kevin as if he were an old friend. He chatted with one of Kevin’s friends via cell phone, he let Kevin hug him again and again, and spent over half an hour talking with all of us.

The most touching moment of the afternoon was when once again, Kevin got to his knees to do the “We’re not worthy” routine, telling Patrick again and again, “You’re my hero.” Pat White returned the bowing gesture and said, “No, Kevin, you are my hero.”

Bill Stewart also spent several minutes with Kevin and his family. When I told him how impressed I was with the team’s willingness to make Kevin’s day so special he replied, “I am not raising young athletes, I am raising young men.” Truly this team is full of men who possess not just great athletic ability, but hearts and moral fiber that command recognition.

From the depth of my heart, I thank Mike Kerin, Nate Sowers, Reed Williams, Pat White, Bill Stewart and all the WVU football team who made this young man’s dream come true. They have no idea how giving a little of their time made a world of difference to Kevin.

I would also like for all to know what an amazing group of young men we have representing the state of WV, and what a classy gentleman we have leading them.