Spectators in the stands at Saturday night’s football game between the Tantramar Titans and Harrison Trimble Trojans, witnessed what the game is really about.
It was the end of the fourth quarter, and many would say it was the best touchdown of the entire game. Tom Lafford is autistic, and he has been on the Tantramar team since grade 9. As a grade 11 student, he dressed for the first time and also got into the game.
With his brother Jeff Lafford by his side, he made his way down the field into the end zone, and scored his first touchdownever, “I think he was more nervous than anything at the beginning. I could see it in his eyes when he was walking on the field, but when he got the ball and began running, I could see the excitement building on his face. I was more proud of him than anything, seeing him run into the end zone and seeing him run with the team, and the team cheering for him. It was a really good feeling.”
Jeff is also the Captain of the Titans and Tom’s biggest fan..
The coaches from both the Titans and the Trojans, worked together prior to the game to make it all happen.
Jeff says, “The Tantramar Titans are a hard nosed team, but when it comes down to it, plays like the one Tom made on Saturday, are a hard nose team, but when it comes down to it, plays like the one Tom made on Saturday, are what really matter to them the most.”
