Jake Pratt, a high school footballer with Down Syndrome, scored a memorable touchdown amid cheers from his teammates on Friday night in Alabama.
It was the first play for the 18-year-old from Vestavia Hills High School, who ran the 35-yard touchdown on Friday night in a match against Birmingham’s Briarwood Christian School, Fox News noted.
The heart-warming moment was captured by Jake Pratt’s sister, Amy Hyde, who was sitting in the stands and managed to record the touch down with her phone.
The video was posted to Twitter and has since gone viral, drawing the attention of major media houses in the process.
Jake Pratt first started out as a manager for the school’s football team when his parent’s asked coaching staff if their son would be allowed to dress for a game, according to AL.com.
Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson decided that, if Jake Pratt was going to be dress out on the sidelines, then he was going to have to start training like the rest of the team.
This included showing up to all practices and participating in Anderson’s rigorous training program.
Jake Pratt’s hard work paid off on Friday, when he scored the incredible touch down.
"There was about six seconds left and Jake goes running in and the crowd went wild," his mother, Kathy Pratt, recalled to Rick Karle of WBRC Fox6 News.
"Once he took that ball he ran fast, straight to that end zone," Kathy Pratt said.
After Jake Pratt crossed the line, he was swamped by members of both teams who rushed to congratulate him.
However, the 18-year-old player managed to slip away from the crowd and made his way to the 50-yard line, where he proceeded to deliver a victory dance to the roaring crowd on the stands.
"I was pumping up the crowd, I was so excited because they were shouting my name," he told WBRC.
Kathy Pratt told AL.com that her son was so happy.
"Jake will remember this all of his life. It will be a life-changing experience."