Teams Set Rivalry Aside, Student with Down Syndrome Scores Touchdown: Video

NOVI, MI — Hearing the crowd roar as he ran across the goal line was one of those dreams that seemed destined to eclipse Robby Heil, a senior at Novi High School with Down syndrome.

He suits up and wears the No. 24 jersey at every game for the Novi High School Wildcats, but normally he’s carrying water, not the pigskin.

That changed Friday night, and even rival team South Lyon East erupted in a celebratory roar as the the Novi cheerleaders led the crowd — “We love Robby! We love Robby!” — as the teen crossed the goal on a 36-yard play and spiked the ball in the end zone. Players from both teams mobbed Robby, took a knee for him and South Lyon East coach Joe Pesci even presented him with an autographed No. 1 jersey.

The play, on an untimed down, didn’t count on the scoreboard, but it counted in the heart of Robby’s mother, Debbie Heil, a team photographer who has been battling cancer. It was arranged ahead of time by Novi coach Jeff Burnside and Pesci to surprise the teen’s mother.

Novi players have always made Robby feel like one of the team, his mother said, but to have both teams come together is “incredible,” Debbie Heil told The Detroit News.

“I’ve always said it takes a community to raise a child and you can tell this community here in Novi and South Lyon have really raised a wonderful child and I’m very blessed to have a community like this,” she said. “These boys (Novi players) are like family. They have been so instrumental with Robby.”

• See Also: Get All the Scores from Michigan High School Football: Sept. 16, 2016

Robby “had a grin from side to side” when Burnside gave him the news that he would be playing.

“It was a lot of fun,” Robby told The Detroit News. “I practiced that play, practiced it a lot. Coach Burnside said I was doing a good job and surprised me (with the news I was playing).”

The Novi coach made sure Robby would be ready when his number was called. He had been working out all week to make sure he was conditioned for the big play.

“He got the full feeling of being a football player this week,” said Burnside. “I put his butt in pads and I got after him a couple of times and made him do down-ups. I assure you, he got the full feeling.”

The final score — 42-14, in Novi’s favor — was a postscript to what was an incredible night for everyone involved.

“Sometimes the kids tend to forget just really what’s important and this is one of those moments we can all look back on and realize what a great thing we were all a part of,” Pesci told the newspaper.

“I’m so glad the East kids were here,” Burnside said. “Coach Pesci is an outstanding human being, very classy kids. They came up with the idea of giving Robby a signed jersey. It was better than I could even have imagined. It was just outstanding.”

» For much more on this story, including how players on both teams reacted to being part of the celebration, please go to The Detroit News.

Feature image via Shutterstock