Simsbury senior Danny Deitz said simply "this is a long way from that dark place," after emotional touchdown catch.
Video: Touchdown catch by Danny Deitz
First TD reception for Connecticut senior since undergoing heart transplant operation a year ago.It wasn't a game-winning score. In the scheme of the game — a 52-21 victory — it wasn't a particularly important score at all.
But clearly, the players from
Simsbury (Conn.) celebrated the 7-yard touchdown reception by
Danny Deitz more than most on Friday.
It was special.
It was the first touchdown by Deitz since he underwent a heart transplant on Sept. 11, 2015.
According to this report from
NBC Connecticut, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior suffered from an enlarged heart that forced him off the gridiron last season.
He's battled back. Shown great patience. And Friday he was rewarded. There were tears along the Simsbury sideline and stands, according to this report from the
Collinsville Press. Deitz was mobbed by his teammates. They wouldn't let him go.
"That was pure joy when he scored that touchdown," Simsbury coach Dave Masters told reporter Gerry deSimas Jr. "That was some magic tonight."
Said Dietz: "I remember those first days in the hospital. This is a long way from that dark place, I'll tell you that."
Danny Deitz (85) receives a game ball after hauling in his first touchdown pass of the season.
