Cardinals for Eladio Flores

Cardinal fans and friends, I write to you today to speak of a need in our community.  But before I do this, I want to take you back to the night of September 15, 2017.  We had just entered a rebuild year for the Cardinal football team and the expectations of our boys, by the extended Rio Grande Valley, was low.  On this night we would face the mighty San Antonio Reagan.  A team we had yet to beat and whose victories over us had been decisive.  The mood was grim on that evening with many casting doubt on our young boys.  But in the absence of faith, our Cardinal boys believed.  The Reagan players stood tall and broad shouldered over our Cardinal squad, but our boys showed no fear and ran straight at them.  The first half of the game, we were on top, but the cost was great as we lost two of our players to injuries.  Stunned by the ferocity of our Cardinals, the Reagan power house rallied back to tie the game late in the 4th quarter.  With time remaining on the clock, Reagan was pinned deep and they were confident in their running game and momentum was on their side.  They only need to run the clock out and go into over-time.  But on this night, on this last defensive stand, young 5’10, 220lb Eladio Flores would fight for the pride of his community, fight for his team, fight through the wall of giants, and sack the quarter back in the Harlingen end-zone putting us ahead by two and win the game.   Despite our struggles with injuries throughout this season and the loss of our ability to make the playoffs, no one can take that victory away from us.  And he delivered the final blow! 

               At this hour Eladio is in a new fight and it’s a fight that I hope he does not have to make alone.  Prior to the last game of the season, against San Benito, Eladio was hospitalized with a severe Staph infection that required multiple surgeries and a lengthy stay in ICU.  As with most hospitalizations, the medical bills will be coming.  His family is resilient and proud but it is my sincere hope that we come together as a community and bless this young man and in one voice, let him know that he is not alone.  We have set up this go fund me page that will allow his parents with 100% access to the funds received.  We will update the community with daily messages on this page, with how much has been given so that you all can see how much we support this young Captain.  We have all received joy and pride by watching what this young man has done for his community on the field.  It’s time for us to give back.