READING, MASS. (WHDH) - Chris McFarland, better known as Bear, is number 13 and the senior manager of the hockey team from Reading High School.
Chris has down syndrome.
On Wednesday night he scored the ceremonial opening goal.
“When he scored that goal, he did just what every college, high school pro does,” said Reading coach Mark Doherty, “he went by the bench high-fiving. It was wonderful, wonderful.”
It was senior night so the Reading and Woburn coaches decided to make it special.
“When we got to the game and I saw who it was, and Bear, he’s been involved in the program for a long time,” said Woburn coach Jim Duran, “I said, ‘Mark, let’s just let him play.'”
Of course scoring was Bear’s favorite part of the game.
In last night’s practice, bear was managing the team like he has so many nights.
Bear does as much for his teammates as they do for him.
“He’d come up to us with a camera, ask to take a picture, get right up in our face and then squirt a squirt gun right in our face,” said teammate Nick Tango. “The usual Bear playing jokes on us and we all love it.”
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