Brees surprises amputee teen QB with prosthetic leg

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees surprised one of his biggest fans last Friday with a prosthetic leg and an offer to pay for an athletic training prosthesis in the fall.

The recipient, Alex Ruiz, had his right leg amputated below the knee after suffering a severe injury on the gridiron in October 2017. The 17-year-old played quarterback at Linfield Christian High School in San Diego, the city in which Brees began his NFL career as a member of the Chargers.

"It was a very emotional presentation and really exciting for everyone in our league to be a part of it," said Brees, who delivered the news to Ruiz through the flag football league he co-founded in Louisiana last year, according to ESPN's Mike Triplett. The league - Football 'N' America - expanded to San Diego this spring.

"If there's anything above cloud nine, that's where I'm at right now," Ruiz said after getting to meet, and play a round of catch with, Brees.

Ruiz, a massive Brees fan who wore No. 9 in high school in homage to him, hopes to get back on the field at some point, a goal the prosthetic leg should help him accomplish.

"It's going to allow him to walk around, get around, and then, eventually, get to the point where he's able to play football again," Brees said, according to Herbie Teope of NFL.com. "Because ask him right now and there's no denying the look in his eye that that's what he wants to do."

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