Watch: Carmel football team surprises teammate with varsity jacket

When the season ended last November and it came time to order their varsity jackets, members of the Carmel High School football team had a thought: They wanted to purchase one for teammate Caleb Cleary.

Cleary, a special needs student at the school, was surprised Thursday morning when the team entered his classroom and presented him with the letterman jacket.

In a video posted to the school's Twitter account by interim principal John Fink, Cleary is shown opening a big blue gift bag, which contained a blue-and-white jacket with his name stitched to the chest and number 23 affixed to the left arm.

"When he walked in, he looked so surprised," said Carmel senior captain Will Boalt, who gave Cleary the jacket. "He has a smile that when you see him smile, you want to smile. He looked so happy with what we were doing for him. I don't think he expected that."

"He loved it," Carmel athletic director Susan Dullea said. "I'm sure he will probably sleep in it tonight."

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Dullea said Cleary, who is a student in Carmel's P.A.C.E. program (Personal Academic Community Experience), is a New York Giants fan who has competed in Special Olympics' programs at Carmel. He had shown a passion for sports during his physical education classes with Todd Cayea, the head coach of the football team, and Cayea reached out to Cleary's mother to ask if he wanted to join the team.

Cleary traveled with the Rams throughout the 2019 season. They finished 8-2 and reached the program's first Section 1 championship game in 11 years, all with Cleary offering support.

"He attended games, was on the sideline, had his own jersey and was at every game home and away the year," Dullea said. "He definitely became part of the team. The kids love him and he loves the kids for sure. He was just as important part of our team as anyone on it."

Cleary not only appeared on the sidelines. Boalt said he joined the team in the locker room pregame and postgame and even gave inspiring halftime speeches, including during the Section 1 championship game.

"He was just always around and he was so supportive," Boalt said. "It makes you realize what you have in life and that you have people rooting for you. It's inspiring."

SILENT GRADUATION: Carmel High School's viral 'silent graduation' video provides positive social media moment

Cayea and several Carmel players filled Cleary's class Thursday when they surprised him with the jacket. The team captains had raised money to order it back in the fall after reaching out to their teammates via group text.

It cost the players $6 apiece, and there was no hesitation.

"I think the next day everybody had the money we needed," Boalt said.

After the jacket finally arrived earlier this week, it was Boalt who first presented Cleary with the gift Thursday. Boalt then helped Cleary slide it over his blue Carmel basketball hoodie and expressed what he meant to the team.

"I was talking to him and told him how grateful we were for him," Boalt said. "I think it meant more to us having him on the team than I think he realized."

Cleary then modeled his new duds, and posed for pictures with his teammates.

"What you saw in the video is a very accurate portrayal of who Caleb is," Dullea said. "When I walk in the gym and see him, he's always giving you a high five, always happy, gives you a hug. He's just a happy, happy kid and I think that's contagious for our student-athletes."

The school earned national attention last June after its "silent graduation" video went viral. Carmel celebrated Jack Higgins — an autistic student who cannot tolerate loud noises — with a silent standing ovation as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma at graduation.

Josh Thomson is the Local Sports Editor for The Journal News and Poughkeepsie Journal. He can be reached by e-mail at jthomson@lohud.com, on Twitter at @lohudinsider, and on Instagram at @lohudinsider.

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