High school football players help man in wheelchair reach mountain peak

'It wasn’t easy but to have Felipe say he made it to the top of Mission Peak was worth it'

A high school football team is being praised after helping a man in a wheelchair reach the summit of a hiking trail.

Over the weekend, Cedric Lousi, a football coach for James Logan High School in Union City, California, took the team on a hike up Fremont's Mission Peak.

While descending the summit, the players met Felipe Kali Gonzalez, who uses a wheelchair.

According to Lousi, who recounted the story on Twitter, Gonzalez had made it most of the way up the mountain but was unable to reach the top due to the steep, rocky terrain.

“He was so close to the top but because of how steep and rocky it was, he couldn’t go any further. He had made it that far and asked if we were willing to help him make it all the way,” Lousi recalled.

The team stepped in to help, using an alternate route that would allow them to get Gonzalez to the top of the peak.

In a video from the day, the football team can be seen working together to accomplish the goal, carrying and pushing Gonzalez to the summit.

“It wasn’t easy but to have Felipe say he made it to the top of Mission Peak was worth it,” Lousi said.

Some of the high school football players who stepped in to help Gonzalez also reflected on what the experience meant to them.

“It was an honour helping someone, and I learned and found out more about myself and the impact I can have not only on individuals but an entire community. Blessed!” James Logan student Chase Sims tweeted.

The video prompted an outpouring of praise on social media, where people applauded the team.

“That was awesome to watch. Couldn't help that a few specs of dust got in my eye, too,” one person tweeted.

Another said: “This is awesome!! What an experience for all and thank you for some sunshine in a nasty social media world these days! Great coaching, leadership and humanity!”