High School QB Alex Brown Has Game Of His Life, Accounts For 8 Touchdowns, 1 Day After Losing His Mother To Cancer
RED BANK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A high school football player in New Jersey had the game of his life Friday night after suffering a tragic loss.
CBS2's Nick Caloway spoke to the quarterback of Red Bank Catholic High School about where he drew his inspiration.
Under the Friday night lights, Alex Brown was lights out, having the kind of game every quarterback dreams of.
"It honestly felt like the whole night was scripted before I even got there," Brown said.
The senior threw for six touchdowns, and ran for two more, leading the Red Bank Catholic Caseys to playoff victory.
"It was awesome. It was awesome," he said.
But the triumph came just one day after tragedy. Alex's mother, Michelle, died on Thursday after a long battle with breast cancer. Michelle was Alex's biggest fan, and his inspiration. She went to his games and even lead the team in battle cries. So even after his mom's death, Alex knew he had to take the field.
What happened next was nothing short of remarkable: Eight touchdowns for No. 8.
Yesterday I lost my amazing mother. Today I scored 8 touchdowns, thank you for watching over me mama❤️ pic.twitter.com/gdg28FVbsA
— Alex Brown QB (@AlexRayBrown2) November 13, 2021
"You know, I threw that first touchdown pass, and I just knew she was going to be with me the whole night. And it was a really special feeling," he said.
Highlights of the game have gone viral. Even Tom Brady reached out, offering words of praise.
The heroic performance was inspiring for Alex's teammates and coaches.
The ???? @TomBrady showed love to @AlexRayBrown2, who lost his mother and scored eight TDs the next day ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zkH4PAPB5P
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 14, 2021
"That was legendary. Because you have to be a true warrior. You have to have true spirit and courage to do something like that," said student Rajahn Cooper.
"And I think it was a great example of perseverance, as a 17-, 18-year-old kid, to go through that. It was something I'll never see again in my coaching days," said coach Michael Lange.
For Alex, it was simply about making his mom proud.
"This whole thing, it just shows that she is with me. And I'm going to make sure the world knows who Michelle Brown is. And I'll carry that for the rest of my life," he said.
Alex Brown is set to play football for Bucknell next year. But first things first - Red Bank Catholic moves on to round two of the playoffs this Friday.
The team is chasing a title in honor of Alex's mom.
CBS2's Nick Caloway contributed to this report.