Jean-Jacques Taylor

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When it was all over – after the band played the school song and the postgame pep talk ended – Pinkston coach Gerald Jones took off his black baseball cap, placed his hands on his knees and sobbed.

One assistant embraced him. Then another as his players chanted, "Jared. Jared. We love you! We love you!" as the encore to their celebratory routine after wins.

When Jared Williams opens his eyes this morning at Baylor Medical Center, the weathered football from Pinkston's 35-0 win over A. Maceo Smith will be sitting next to his bed.

"I want every signature on that ball when we get back to school," Jones told his players as they headed to the bus. "Jared is getting that ball tonight. This win was for him."

Pinkston led 14-0 after the first quarter and 21-0 at halftime. Fittingly, Aaron Spikes, wearing Williams' No. 24, preserved the shutout with a leaping interception late in the fourth quarter.

"We had a couple of good practices, but I just didn't know how the kids were going to come out and play, because there's been so much going on this week," said Jones, wearing a white golf shirt with JW24 stitched on the arm.

"Jared has been in our prayers. All he asked us to do was play hard and win. We had to do what he asked us to do."

The ball is the football team's gift to him for inspiring them with his unbreakable spirit. We should all be so courageous in the face of adversity.

Eight days ago, Jared's life changed forever.

While attempting to make a tackle in a high school football game, as thousands of other kids do each week, Jared broke his neck.

Only God knows if the 5-9, 135-pound freshman defensive back will ever walk again.

"He's inspired the whole community," Jones said. "We're all pulling for him and talking about the different fundraisers and things we need to do to help him and his family. It's not just the school, but the whole community."

That's the blessing in this tragedy.

It's so easy for us to forget about the folks in West Dallas, where 48 percent of the community live below the poverty line. Growing up there isn't an excuse for failure, but it takes young people with a certain intestinal fortitude and mentality to break the cycle of poverty.

Talk to enough people, and they'll tell you Jared possesses that kind of attitude.

It's been a tough week for the football team. They know, but for the grace of God, one of them could've been laying motionless on the ground.

"There hasn't been a practice or a film session," said Jones, "when we haven't talked about Jared in some way."

These days, Jones' cellphone seemingly never stops ringing.

Players. Parents. Alumni. Colleges offering aid. The Texas High School Coaches Association.

They're all offering help.

A meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Reverchon Recreation Center for those interested in helping Jared's family, whether it's fixing meals or running errands.

Just the other day, Corey Borner's dad phoned. He wanted to speak with Jared's mother, Arlenna, a single parent, to give her hope.

He can empathize.

In May, his 16-year-old son, a DeSoto sophomore, suffered a catastrophic football injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Corey wants to speak with Jared soon and tell him all things are possible with the proper attitude.

"When stuff like this happens, there's always a lot of attention for the first couple of weeks," said Jones, "then it kind of fades away. We don't want that to happen. We're not going to let that happen."

That's why at least one or two coaches visit Jared every day. Whether he's sleeping is of no consequence.

They know he feels their presence. Their love.

They send texts. And leave messages on his phone. His teammates find rides or take the bus to the hospital and sit with his family.

It's the least they can do for the one teammate who inspires them daily.