Clemson fan in wheelchair stands up for the Tigers |
CLEMSON -- The Clemson-Louisville came was one of the loudest games in memory in Death Valley as the Tigers won a thrilling emotional roller coaster in the 42-36 victory.
Most of the interviews with players and coaches after the epic contest said that the Clemson fans were one of the central reasons that swayed the outcome towards the Tigers. Louisville had six pre-snap penalties including two false starts in the first quarter that could be attributed to Death Valley's fans going 'All-In" with their voices and support. Sixteen-year-old Logan Wires was clearly one of the Clemson fans of the game as he cheered passionately for the Clemson defense late in the game. Logan has cerebral palsy, and he rose up out of his wheelchair to help support his Tigers. "The game last night was filled with lots of ups and downs," Bill Wires said on Facebook. "Swings in momentum were happening at a more rapid pace than I can remember ever seeing. The fans were in it from start to finish. During one of the lulls, I looked over to see Logan out of his wheelchair. I was somewhat shocked and asked Logan what he was doing. He replied that the team needed him to stand and cheer, so that's what he was going to do." Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that can affect the body in various ways including movement and muscle coordination. “Logan, his brother Carson, and I attend all of the home games," Bill Wires said via CBSSports.com. "Logan has cerebral palsy. It affects his legs, hands and trunk muscles. Cognitively, he attends regular school, takes honors classes, loves Jesus, and is the biggest Clemson fan ever." Standing up for Logan was a huge deal because he cannot stand up without some form of assistance. "He occasionally is made to stand with assistance during therapy sessions, but it is rare for him to attempt to do it on his own and only for a few minutes with assistance. He cannot stand without assistance. Saturday night, he decided — on his own — that along with his normal cheering, he also needed to stand." Congrats to Logan as one of Clemson's best fans and I'm sure Dabo Swinney and the football team will be inviting you to a practice this season. :) Update: Former Clemson defensive back Xavier Brewer posted the following on his Facebook account on Monday night: This article takes me back to Coaches prayer in the locker room post game when he [Swinney] said: "Lord I thank you for the opportunity to 'lift people up' with how we played the game tonight even if we may never know that person." #GodisReal
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