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5-year-old boy who struggled with cancer is honorary captain at Santa Margarita football game

by in News

Joshua Hamlin sat on the shoulders of his father Joseph in the Santa Margarita locker room.  Head coach Rich Fisher was giving his team a pregame speech about Joshua, the honorary captain for Friday’s game.  Fisher told his team about Joshua’s struggle with pediatric cancer. “I want you guys to go out there and be at least half as brave as Joshua.”

  • Joshua Hamlin walks on the field as an honorary captain at the start of the Santa Margarita football game on Friday. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin’s father Joseph looks up at his son in the Santa Margarita locker room before the game. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

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  • Joshua Hamlin took a run down the field before the start of the Santa Margarita football game on Friday. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin looks up at Santa Margarita’s Donovan Orellana during the national anthem. Joshua Hamlin, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin took the field as an honorary captain at the start of the Santa Margarita football game on Friday. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin and his sister Delilah chat with a referee before the game. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin watches as the Santa Margarita football team takes the field on Friday night. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin watches as the Santa Margarita football team takes the field on Friday night. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin misses a pass as he plays on the field before Friday’s game. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin poses on the field with his father Joseph, mother Vanessa and sister Delilah. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin runs off the field with Santa Margarita’s Matt Hartigan after the coin toss.
    Hills High School on Friday. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin sits on the shoulders of his father Joseph as Joshua is applauded by the Santa Margarita football team before Friday’s game. Mayfair High School was taking on Santa Margarita in a nonleague football game at Trabuco Hills High School on Friday. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin gets a high five from Santa Margarita’s Nick Barcelos in the locker room before the game. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin watches the coin toss at the start of the game. He was named an honorary captain at the start of the Santa Margarita football game on Friday. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin takes the field with Santa Margarita’s Kareem Amer. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin looks out onto the field after posing for a photo with the Santa Margarita cheerleaders. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin plays with his sister Delilah before Friday’s game. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin takes a walk along the field on the shoulders of his father Joseph. Joshua, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Joshua Hamlin sits on the shoulders of his father Joseph as they walk under an inflatable eagle. Joshua Hamlin, a pediatric cancer survivor, served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer at Friday’s game against Mayfair. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Santa Margarita’s J.T. Thomas celebrates a teammate’s touchdown. Thomas scored five touchdowns of his own in their victory over Mayfair in a nonleague football game at Trabuco Hills High School on Friday. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

  • Santa Margarita running back J.T. Thomas talks to Joshua Hamlin minutes before kickoff. Thomas told Joshua that he was going to score two touchdowns for him. Thomas scored five. Mayfair High School was taking on Santa Margarita in a nonleague football game at Trabuco Hills High School on Friday. Joshua Hamlin, a pediatric cancer survivor served as the honorary captain for Santa Margarita to raise awareness of childhood cancer. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Contributing Photographer)

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“I’m glad he wasn’t on my shoulders,” said Joshua’s mom Vanessa. “The coach’s speech makes me weak in the knees,” she said, fighting back tears.

“Josh is my hero every day,” she said. “I’ve never thought he’d be thought of as someone’s else’s hero.”

Santa Margarita High School teamed up with the Jessie Rees Foundation to make Joshua an honorary captain for their game against Mayfair High School.  The foundation helps raise awareness about pediatric cancer and has as their motto, “Never Ever Give Up”

Joshua walked to midfield with Santa Margarita’s four co-captains for the coin toss.

Back on the sidelines, Joshua watched the players take the field.  Santa Margarita’s J.T. Thomas turned back and gave Joshua a high-five and promised Joshua: “Tonight I’m going to score two touchdowns for you.”

Thomas kept his promise.

He scored five.