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West Texas teen who survived two strokes scores TD
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LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Just three months after Kenbriel Hearn emerged from a coma, the 18-year-old football star scored the most memorable touchdown of his life.

The senior at Memphis High School suffered two strokes caused by a bleeding mass on his brain and spent three weeks on life support. By the time he awoke this past summer, his 5-foot-7 frame had withered from 160 pounds to 112. He was paralyzed on his right side, unable to walk or talk.

His football season was the last thing on his mind.

Once regaining the ability to jog, Hearn found himself back in pads when his coach asked him to suit up for the Cyclones’ final home game. He figured he was on the sideline for moral support, but unbeknownst to him, both coaches had arranged for a special moment to highlight his road to recovery.

With Memphis trailing 35-0 in the final minute, Hearn was sent into the huddle and given directions to take the handoff and go. He jogged 48 yards to the end zone, where players from both teams cheered him. He briefly knelt to pray as his mother,  Tammy Henderson, looked on, tears streaming down her face.

It wasn’t the first touchdown Hearn scored in his three seasons as a Memphis receiver and safety, but it was his sweetest.

“I will remember this one more because I battled through so much,” said Hearn, who continues speech and physical therapy. “It was pretty great.”

Cyclones coach Andy Correll hatched his plan the week before the Nov. 1 game in Memphis, about 85 miles southeast of Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle. He emailed his counterpart at Stratford about his plan to let Hearn have one play. Stratford coach Eddie Metcalf went for it.

But with the Stratford Elks working on a shutout, Correll thought Metcalf might not want to spoil the accomplishment for his defense.

During a meeting at midfield, Correll suggested just allowing Hearn to pick up a first down. But Metcalf insisted he take it all the way to the end zone.

“Just let the boy go,” he told Correll. “The shutout didn’t mean anything in comparison to what that kid would do to me and to our kids.”