Sheriff near San Antonio plays in high school band at football game, becomes viral sensation

Last Saturday while Atascosa Deputy Sheriff A.J. Mendez was on duty to escort the Poteet High School Band during a football game, he picked up a pair of drumsticks and fell in line with the group of teenager musicians as cameras were rolling. less Last Saturday while Atascosa Deputy Sheriff A.J. Mendez was on duty to escort the Poteet High School Band during a football game, he picked up a pair of drumsticks and fell in line with the group of teenager ... more Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Sheriff near San Antonio plays in high school band at football game, becomes viral sensation 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Small town Poteet, about a 30-minute drive south of San Antonio, is at the center of a viral Facebook post warming the hearts of people who love a feel-good story.

Last Saturday while Atascosa Deputy Sheriff A.J. Mendez was on duty to escort the Poteet High School Band during a football game, he picked up a pair of drumsticks and fell in line with the group of teen musicians as cameras were rolling.

The video of Mendez rocking the stand of fans with Poteet Students at his sides was posted on the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on Monday. Less than 24 hours later, more than 25,000 people have like it and close to 30,000 have shared it.

Amanda Beltran, at the sheriff’s office, said the positive attention is “nice for the little county.”

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She also gave some insight on how the video came about. According to Beltran, Mendez has been on the force for two years and is a 2005 graduate of Poteet High School.

Deputy Sheriff A.J. Mendez interacting with the Poteet High School Band at the football game in D'Hanis on Saturday night. Our Community Matters Posted by Atascosa County Sheriff's Office on Monday, October 5, 2015

Mendez’s talent on the drums was not a coincidence. During his career in the Poteet Aggie Band, he co-wrote the cadence played in the video, Beltran said.

“I think it’s outstanding that he wrote that and they’re still playing it,” she added.

The post has generated more than 1,000 comments praising Mendez.

A comment from user Karri Kaufman-Dries encompasses the general feeling of support in the growing comments section.

“You're a ROCK STAR! How awesome it is to join these young people and have a great moment with them,” she said. “Thank you for sharing this video. This Sheriff is a positive influence for us all.”

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Twitter: @MaddySkye