A local football team is showing their support for a special little boy who’s spent much of his life at the hospital.
Luke Lough, 5, from Clinton, Tennessee spent Friday evening with the Landrum High School football team.
Luke’s energy was contagious as he fist-bumped, danced, and continued the bond he’s built with the players.
“That’s his personality,” said Dad Jessie Lough.
It’s hard to tell how much Luke’s been through.
“We found out at 18 weeks gestation that he had 7 different heart defects – one of the major ones being hypoplastic left heart, meaning he was born without the left side of his heart,” said Lough.
He said on top of the heart defects, he has chronic lung disease, uses a feeding tube, and needs 3 to 4 more surgeries before he’s 22-years-old – each with a 10-percent survival rate.
He said the strides are bittersweet.
“Phenomenal but at the same time emotional, stressful,” said Lough.
It’s a story Landrum High School football head coach Jason Farmer said touched his heart miles away in Landrum.
“I went to my wife with tears in my eyes – just didn’t know why God chose me but I knew I had to do something,” said Farmer.
The Cardinals sent Luke a signed helmet, hats, shirts, autographs, and coach Farmer sent him a letter of encouragement. They also talked with Luke over the phone. He later came to a football game as a fellow teammate with a special bond.
“It’s just a life lesson for my players to understand how lucky they are and how fortunate they are to be able to play this game,” said Farmer.
Friday night, Luke was back on the field, running out with the players, knowing the Cardinals have his back.
“The way that they’ve made Luke feel and the things they’ve done for Luke and the rest of the family… I don’t know. It bring tears to our eyes,” said Lough. “”To know that they’re here for him for anything is amazing.”
Luke was honorary captain at Friday’s football game.The Cardinals won 20 to 6.
