Notre Dame Coach Grants Little Boy's Dying Wish
"He said 'What are we going to do?' I said 'We have no choice. We're throwing it to the right' "

I've made no bones about it in the past. I'm a huge fan of Notre Dame Football click here and here

I'm sure many of you have already heard the story of how the Irish Head Coach, Charlie Weis, made a promise to a dying boy. And I'll readily admit... this story rips my heart out every time I read, speak or even hear about it.

For those unfamiliar with the story, I'll give you a quick run down;

Prior to the Washington game, Coach Weis met with 10-year-old Montana Mazurkiewicz, who had been told by doctors weeks earlier that there was nothing more they could do to stop the spread of his inoperable brain tumor.... Weis told Montana about some pranks he played on Joe Montana -- whom Montana was named after.

"He told me about his love for Notre Dame football and how he just wanted to make it through this game this week," Weis said. "He just wanted to be able to live through this game because he knew he wasn't going to live very much longer."

Weis asked Montana if there was something he could do for him. He agreed to let Montana call the first play against Washington on Saturday. He called "pass right."

Montana never got to see the play. He died Friday at his home.

Weis heard about the death and called Mazurkiewicz on Friday night to assure her he would still call Montana's play. "He said, 'This game is for Montana, and the play still stands,'" she said.

When the Irish started on their own 1-yard-line following a fumble recovery, Mazurkiewicz wasn't sure Notre Dame would be able to throw a pass. Weis was concerned about that, too. So was quarterback Brady Quinn.

"He (Quinn) said 'What are we going to do?'" Weis said. "I said 'We have no choice. We're throwing it to the right.'" Weis called a play where most of the Irish went left, Quinn ran right and looked for tight end Anthony Fasano on the right.

Mazurkiewicz watched with her family. "I just closed my eyes. I thought, 'There's no way he's going to be able to make that pass. Not from where they're at. He's going to get sacked and Washington's going to get two points,'" she said.

Fasano caught the pass and leapt over a defender for a 13-yard gain. "It's almost like Montana was willing him to beat that defender and take it to the house," Weis said. For the entire story, click here.

But the story doesn't end there... some Notre Dame students have banded together and started selling Pass Right wristbands to help the Mazurkiewicz family with a crushing financial burden. As of Dec 14th, they have raised $2,250.00.

To purchase one of the Pass Right wristbands, click here. I can't think of a better way to spend $3.00.