Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien just made the day special for one football fan! With the Texans in Green Bay as part of their joint practices with the Packers, they have been taking part in the DreamDrive in which players ride to practice on children’s bikes, trading transportation for autographs. O’Brien was part of this tradition as well, but he stopped and took extra time to chat with a fan that has special needs.
“Hi, Raymond,” O’Brien said. “I’m Bill. Are you having a good day? Are you going to smile for me? Are you going to smile for me? You are! I have a special son named Jack. You remind me a lot of Jack. My Jack.”
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O’Brien kept the interaction going by hopping on the bicycle mounted to Raymond’s chair and pedaling the young fan to the practice field.
Talking with the fan and then taking him to practice was a special moment for the young man, but it also hit home for O’Brien. One of his sons, Jack, was born with a genetic disorder known as lissencephaly.
The literal translation of lissencephaly is smooth brain, which also serves as an explanation of the disorder. Lissencephaly is something that develops during the fetus’ early months in the womb. Essentially, the folds in grooves in the brain never fully develop in those who are born in it. The developmental damage is irreversible, and the life expectancy of those with lissencephaly is only 10 years.
However, O’Brien’s son, Jack, is about to turn 17 years old after a doctor said that he wouldn’t live beyond the age of two. As the 2015 season of HBO’s Hard Knocks showed, the Texans head coach has spent every possible moment caring for his son along with his wife, Colleen. Jack has seizures every day and needs near-constant care. Seeing Jack turn 13 during the season was an emotional moment for the O’Brien family, and it was captured by the NFL Films cameras.
O’Brien understands the intricacies of raising a child with special needs and that society unfortunately often overlooks those individuals. He didn’t want to be one of those that turns and just walks by without saying a word, so he stopped and tried to make Raymond’s day special.
