Most Inspiring Act of Kindness (Mitchell Marcus)

Coach Peter Morales of Coronado High School Thunderbirds in El Paso, Texas makes no qualms about it: He has a favourite on this team. "Mitchell, I need you, I need you to help me out with my coaching things, Mitchell." Team manager Mitchell Marcus has a developmental disability, but he far surpasses everyone here, when it comes to love of the game. He's just an amazing person that our basketball team loves being around. [Mitchell shouting] Mitchell's mom Amy says he's always been that way: Mitchell always had a basketball that was always what he wanted for his birthday. And because basketball is that important to him, on the last game of the regular season, the coach told Mitchell to suit up. - What was like to put on the uniform? - I was very happy. - I bet that you were. Just wearing a jersey was enough for Mitchell. But what he didn't know - what no one knew at that time - was that the coach planned to play him at the end, no matter what the score. - Were you prepared to lose that game? - For his moment, yes. For his moment in time, yes. And so with minute-and-a-half left - Coronado leading, but only by 10 - Coach Morales put in his manager... ...and I just start hearing [chanting] 'Mitchell! Mitchell!' But here is where the fairytale fell apart. Although his teammates did everything they could to get Mitchell a basket, each time they passed him the ball, he either missed the shot, or, like on their last possession, booted it out of bounds, turning the ball over to the other team, with just seconds left. He wasn't going to be able to score, but I was hoping that he was happy that he was just put in the game. - Could you ever imagine what would happen next? - No I didn't. I could not. Not at all. What happened next, happened on the inbound. The guy with the ball there was a senior at Franklin High School, Number 22 - Jonathon Montanez. I was raised to treat others how you want to be treated. I just thought Mitchell deserved his chance, deserved his opportunity. I think I'll cry about it for the rest of my life. What Jonathon did was yell out Mitchell's name, then threw the ball right to him, right there - one of the most memorable turnovers of all time. [crowds stormed the court, cheering his name and raising him onto their shoulders.] It wasn't the game-winning shot. When the buzzer sounded, Coronado had 15 more points than Franklin but Jonathon's assist and Mitchell's basket did change the outcome decidedly. Play any game with this much sportsmanship. Both teams win. Steve Hartman, On the Road, in El Paso, Texas