Wolverine Digest

Michigan football makes young fan's dream come true during recent practice

A Wolverine fan who lives with Down syndrome scored a touchdown at one of Michigan's practices
Seth Berry|
Oct 4, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader run flags down the field before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Oct 4, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader run flags down the field before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

During one of Michigan football's practices ahead of the team's game against Purdue last week, the Wolverines helped a young fan live out a dream.

Sherrone Moore's program teamed up with Dream On 3—a nonprofit organization that makes sports-themed "dreams" come true for kinds and young adults who are living with life-altering conditions, including those with mental health challenges and intellectual disabilities.

Through the partnership, the Wolverines welcomed Luke, a young Michigan fan from Ohio who lives with Down syndrome.

During the practice, Luke had his time to shine when he took a handoff from Michigan true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. From there, Luke did the rest and navigated his way to the endzone for a touchdown, with the entire Michigan team coming together to celebrate with him after the score.

"His dream was to come to a Michigan football game and meet the team," Moore told WXYZ Detroit Sports Director Brad Galli in an interview. "We got wind of it, he (Luke) came to practice, watched practice. At the end of practice on Friday (Oct. 31), our walk-through, we said we had another running back who hadn't run a play. And it was awesome, because one, for our players to watch this young man who loves the game but loves our team so much, and maybe not able to do what our guys do is unbelievable. But our players—watching them be kids with him—he ran the touchdown, he made somebody miss. Jaishawn (Barham) is diving for him. Derrick Moore falls, he jukes somebody out and then he scores, and the whole team goes over there unprompted—I didn't tell them to do that. It was one of the coolest moments I've ever seen. So much praise for him and his family."

Moore then said Luke and his family were able to come to the game last Saturday to see the Wolverines notch a 21-16 victory over Purdue at the Big House.

"I saw him right before the game and gave him the biggest hug," said Moore. It was awesome. It was a dream. What an awesome, awesome kid. His energy is infectious. He might have to come back every week if he's going to help us win."

More from Michigan on SI

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Seth Berry
SETH BERRY

Seth began writing on Michigan athletics in 2015 and has remained in the U-M media space ever since, which includes stops at Maize N Brew and Rivals before coming onto Michigan On SI in June of 2025. Seth has covered various angles of Michigan football and basketball, including recruiting, overall team coverage and feature/analysis stories relating to the Wolverines. His passion for Michigan sports and desire to tell stories led him to the sports journalism world. He is a 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University and is the former sports editor of the Western Herald, WMU's student newspaper.

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