KHS football team makes 6-year-old leukemia patient team captain

Collins said that the team wound up giving Grace the highly coveted No. 40 jersey, formerly of 1940s Kingston legend Buddy Ellsworth, who lost his life as a pilot in World War II after becoming an ace. The No. 40 jersey, which only bodes well with Grace because of the suggestion of the number four hearkening to DeCicco’s number four, is given to the most valuable player named in the Newburgh game — the battle with Kingston’s traditional rival — to wear the Monday after the game, and then given back to Grace. “Grace would always ask me how many touchdowns I was going to score,” said DeCicco, “and I would say four.” DeCicco said that if he could score a touchdown “and take away her pain for a little while” that the blood, sweat and tears were worth it. “I would hug her after each [touchdown] and it made her feel so good. And it was bigger than football. After each score, I would give the ball to the refs, chest-bump with the guys and I always knew that I had a hug coming from Grace.”

DeCicco said that it became evident how much the team and his own success meant to Grace as his personal relationship with Grace developed. DeCicco also began to appreciate how a little bit of attention showered on a person could carry that person so far, and be so meaningful. DeCicco said that point was driven home the day Grace’s family reached out to him for a copy of a photo taken of him and Grace together at Senior Night so that she could share it with all of the nurses in the chemotherapy unit. DeCicco ultimately even found himself running over to Grace to ask her opinion of his throw upon scoring.

“Sometimes we would complain about having to wake up early on a Sunday to lift weights,” said DeCicco. “But then I would wonder how can I complain when there’s a little girl going through chemo? And if I would go and train, I would be more able to score her a touchdown that would mean so much to her … Everyone says that you never forget your senior year of football. Well, making a touchdown and running to her and seeing her smile — I will never forget that.”

“Football is a game, but it’s bigger than that, because those boys can all afford to go to a school like Alfred University and not pay $40,000,” said Collins, who pointed out that football takes aggression and channels it into positive energy with a focus. “Those kids each have a story. The whole thing with Grace and the opportunities that football presents to those kids is why I do what I do. It’s bigger than us. It’s bigger than the team. It’s bigger than football.”