A beautiful moment took place on the wrestling mats last week when West Branch Middle School’s Lucas Lacina faced off against Anamosa’s Austin Scranton in Iowa.
Lucas is a 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy — a condition that once had his parents and doctors wondering if he’d ever even be able to walk. Despite the challenges he faces every day, though, Lucas has pursued his dream of becoming a wrestler, and in his first match of the season, he went up against Austin.
According to CBS2 Iowa, Austin went into the match knowing about Lucas’ situation and having been informed that he’d need to be careful with the smaller athlete. Still, he happily took the match, largely with the hope that it would help Lucas. “I kind of just wanted to do it because I wanted to help some kid that loves the same sport as me and to help him be really happy,” he told CBS 2 Iowa.
The video of the match has since been picked up by ESPN and gone viral, and it’s easy to see why. Lucas’ determination and love for the sport is clear, and Austin shows wisdom beyond his years in giving Lucas a challenge while still displaying admirable sportsmanship. Take a look at their encounter below:
