U.S. high student with Down syndrome scores touchdown in last game of the season

Simon Roussel, 21, has Down syndrome. He joined the Mandeville High School freshman football team six years ago as a manager and "unofficial assistant coach."

Simon's coach, Guy LeCompte, wanted to honour the senior student for his commitment to the team — and give Simon's mother the opportunity to take pictures of her son in uniform — so, for his last game before graduation, he asked Simon to put on the pads for the first time and take the field as a starter.

"Every one of our players has had Simon as a manager. Our kids are beautiful in terms of their excitement and the way they receive Simon," said LeCompte.

On October 23, with a little assistance from both the opposing team and his own, Simon, touched a football for the first time ever in a regulation game — and scored a touchdown on a kickoff return.

Watch Simon run 80 yards for the touchdown below.

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"It's like he was supposed to do that," assistant football coach Byron Nihart told WAFB. "It was a natural thing for him. He was born to be an athlete."

"After the game, he just kept saying 'wow' over and over again," Simon’s mother, Barbara Roussel, told NOLA.com.

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"Fortunately, this is one of the many examples of people in our schools reaching out to our kids with special needs, and everyone’s life is enriched," she added. "These thoughtful people make the world a better place. These awesome players and coaches gave Simon a once-in-a-lifetime memory and we are forever grateful. They are our heroes."