Alex Pappas Llauro Becomes Honorary Member of USC Football
August 30, 2019 | Football, Women's Lacrosse, Trojan Outreach
Most incoming eighth grade boys would be intimidated by a room of collegiate student-athletes. But Alex Pappas Llauro found himself in this scenario and relished the moment, because he is far more than just an average eighth-grader.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, Team Impact helped Llauro become an honorary member of the USC Football team for the 2019-20 season. He was hosted and welcomed at Heritage Hall in front of all 600 USC student-athletes. USC Football Head Coach Clay Helton, USC Athletic Director and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann and USC Football alum and three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest were all in attendance to embrace Llauro. It was a dream come true for a family that has been an inspiration for so many.
In 2011, Llauro was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, words his parents Valerie and Jorge had never heard before. By the age of 11, he lost his ability to walk, but his smile and enthusiasm for life only intensified.
His mother, Valerie Pappas Llauro, was overwhelmed with joy for her son at his signing day.
"Team Impact is an incredible organization making kids like my son Alex's dreams come true," she said. "They even help athletes realize that it's not just about their physical and mental strength, it's about their heart and compassion as well."
Mrs. Llauro was exactly right; her son was able to evoke compassion in athletes making them want to utilize their platforms. As the teams embraced her son, the Women's Lacrosse Team especially took a liking to him.
Kerrigan Miller, All-American junior midfielder for the Women of Troy, spoke on how inspiring it was to have Llauro be the newest member of the Trojan family.
"Being a USC student-athlete gives us a platform to touch the lives of a lot of people and I don't think we take advantage of that all the time," she said. "Seeing Alex coming in and how excited he was to get an offer makes us have a lot of pride for our university and makes us want to use our platforms to impact more kids like him."
Miller's urge to do more with her platform as a student-athlete is one of the major goals of Team Impact. As much as the organization seeks to empower the children they work with, they also wish to inspire student-athletes to become as aware of their power as Miller now is.
Team Impact's CEO Seth Rosenzweig offered his opinion on Llauro and his ability to inspire people this way.
"Alex is a fighter," he said. "He never has anything but a smile on his face. He turns adversity into a positive and a setback into a set up."
Rosenzweig seamlessly articulated Llauro's presence. Everyone that came in contact with him left with a smile on their face and seemed more energized than they were before meeting him. Though he is faced with an illness like Duchenne, Llauro effortlessly inspires those around him to live to the fullest.
On Sunday, Aug. 25, Team Impact helped Llauro become an honorary member of the USC Football team for the 2019-20 season. He was hosted and welcomed at Heritage Hall in front of all 600 USC student-athletes. USC Football Head Coach Clay Helton, USC Athletic Director and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann and USC Football alum and three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest were all in attendance to embrace Llauro. It was a dream come true for a family that has been an inspiration for so many.
In 2011, Llauro was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, words his parents Valerie and Jorge had never heard before. By the age of 11, he lost his ability to walk, but his smile and enthusiasm for life only intensified.
His mother, Valerie Pappas Llauro, was overwhelmed with joy for her son at his signing day.
"Team Impact is an incredible organization making kids like my son Alex's dreams come true," she said. "They even help athletes realize that it's not just about their physical and mental strength, it's about their heart and compassion as well."
Mrs. Llauro was exactly right; her son was able to evoke compassion in athletes making them want to utilize their platforms. As the teams embraced her son, the Women's Lacrosse Team especially took a liking to him.
Kerrigan Miller, All-American junior midfielder for the Women of Troy, spoke on how inspiring it was to have Llauro be the newest member of the Trojan family.
"Being a USC student-athlete gives us a platform to touch the lives of a lot of people and I don't think we take advantage of that all the time," she said. "Seeing Alex coming in and how excited he was to get an offer makes us have a lot of pride for our university and makes us want to use our platforms to impact more kids like him."
Miller's urge to do more with her platform as a student-athlete is one of the major goals of Team Impact. As much as the organization seeks to empower the children they work with, they also wish to inspire student-athletes to become as aware of their power as Miller now is.
Team Impact's CEO Seth Rosenzweig offered his opinion on Llauro and his ability to inspire people this way.
"Alex is a fighter," he said. "He never has anything but a smile on his face. He turns adversity into a positive and a setback into a set up."
Rosenzweig seamlessly articulated Llauro's presence. Everyone that came in contact with him left with a smile on their face and seemed more energized than they were before meeting him. Though he is faced with an illness like Duchenne, Llauro effortlessly inspires those around him to live to the fullest.
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