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VIDEO: Buckeyes give game ball to emotional, tearful young man

I’ll just go ahead and warn y’all now that it’s about to get a little dusty up in here.

You may or may not have heard that last weekend was the nationwide push to raise awareness of the “Coach to Cure MD” initiative, with coaching staffs all across the country bringing in-game attention to the scourge that is muscular dystrophy. Jacob Jarvis, 14, and his younger brother Noah Studebaker, 7, are both afflicted with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and have been friends with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and the entire OSU football program since July of last year.

The young boys, the school noted, attend practices several times a week with their father and mother; take part in Friday night meals at the OSU Golf Course; and attend as many home football games as possible.

One of those games was this past weekend against Saturday and, as part of the “Coach to Cure MD” push, Meyer asked both Jacob and Jarvis for a favor.

Meyer asked them to be honorary captains during the coin toss ceremony so the two of them – Jacob piloting his wheelchair while holding his favorite Buckeye’s hand, Jeff Heuerman, with Noah riding on back – joined Heuerman and captains Michael Bennett, Curtis Grant and Doran Grant at the center of the field opposite Cincinnati’s captains.

Following the win over the Bearcats, and with the boys in the locker room, Heuerman took center stage with a surprise for Jacob. And, if you don’t think what football players and coaches across the country do for kids means something, take note of Jacob’s very emotional and tearful reaction to be handed the game ball by the OSU tight end.

Now, if that doesn’t tug at the old strings on your heart, you don’t have one.

Kudos to the Buckeyes in general and Heuerman specifically; that was very, very well done young man.

And kudos to the countless coaches and players all across the nation at all levels who do what they do for sick children on a daily basis and don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve.