Nice piece

There's a very nice piece in today's Boston Globe about Zack McLeod.

The date was Sept. 5, 2008. BB&N was scrimmaging at Wayland. Earlier in the game, McLeod stepped in front of a receiver, picked off a pass in full stride, and scampered into the end zone.

Several generations of McLeods were going to be very proud.

His father, Pat, played for Montana State from 1979-82. His uncle, Mike, played for the Green Bay Packers in 1984. His grandfather, Jim, was a legendary high school coach in Wyoming.

But instead of joy, the touchdown is a footnote on the day Zack McLeod almost died. There was fear as Zack lay on the grass unconscious, his brain swelling from a traumatic injury.

“It was the most terrifying moment of any of our lives,’’ said cocaptain Jimmy McCafferty.

In a quick decision that saved his life, McLeod was airlifted to Boston Medical Center.

“When Zack left the scene I turned to the doctor and said, ‘How serious is this?’ And she said, ‘Well, he’s probably got about a 5 percent chance of survival,’ ’’ said Papas.

We've been watching this unfold for the last two years, as Zack's in the youth group at Park Street with our kids, and his mom is on the ministerial staff.

And right now, he lights up a room when he walks in.