GARLAND, Texas — This content is sponsored by Sam Pack Auto Group.
High school friendships can end up being forever friendships.
That’s especially true for friendships formed on the football field.
And sometimes even the families of those football players form build strong bonds themselves.
“We loved Jose so much,” said Dawn Moffatt.
Dawn’s son, Matt, became close friends with Jose Huerta more than a decade ago when they played football together for Garland High School.
Jose graduated in 2009 and was on his way to becoming a certified electrician when he was diagnosed with leukemia at age 25.
He beat cancer and became a father in 2019.
But four months after his son Memphis was born, cancer returned.
This time, it was was more aggressive.
“He was really strong the whole time,” said Kathryn Doxey Huerta, Jose’s widow. “He told me multiple times, ‘We have too much life to live together. I’m not going to die on you. I’m not going anywhere. We’re too young.’”
Cancer can be remarkably cruel.
As Jose was waging a year-long war, his younger brother Miguel got sick, too.
Miguel’s cancer was in his stomach and lungs.
He died Sept. 12, 2020.
In October, Jose turned 30.
He was hospitalized a week later.
He proposed to Kathryn from his hospital bed.
They were married in his hospital room.
Jose died on Dec. 14, 2020.
Thirteen days later, Kathryn gave birth to Jude Huerta – a son Jose never got to meet.
“I’m just working through it all, trying to figure out what’s next and rethinking what our life looks like as a family of three,” Kathryn said. “Without him.”
Jose meant so much to the Moffatt family during those days at Garland High and she desperately wanted to help his grieving widow.
So, she nominated Kathryn for a Little Wish.
Kathryn will be receiving $5,000 worth of gift cards to cover the cost of groceries and baby supplies.
Dawn revealed the surprise on a video conference call and Kathryn was overwhelmed.
“Oh my gosh,” she kept repeating. “Thank you.”
Dawn had watched the Huertas growing into a family through posts on Facebook. And she watched the tragedy unfold there too.
She said she heard about the Little Wishes program and hoped it might help Kathryn's financial burdens.
“You’re beautiful and you are grace under pressure," she told Kathryn. "You’re a mama warrior. There’s so much love there.”
Kathryn said both her boys look just like Jose.
“I got two clones,” she said.
They didn’t get a chance to know their father, but friends and family will ensure they never forget him.
This content is sponsored by Sam Pack Auto Group.