WATCH: Charlie at Chiefs Game

Youth football players rarely stoke the type of excitement that one Midwestern gridironer has. Charlie Wilks, a noseguard in his hometown of Emporia, Kansas, boasts quite a lineage. His grandfather, Al Reynolds, spent eight years with the Kansas City Chiefs, playing in Super Bowl I. Still, it isn’t Charlie’s football bloodlines, or his play along the trenches that is the true cause for inspiration. Instead, it’s the fact that Charlie has accomplished quite a lot on the football field for someone that can’t even see it. While he might be blind, Charlie has never allowed that to slow him down. That’s why he’s about to set yet another precedent. For the first time in the history of ESPN’s E:60, the subject of a story is also its E:60 reporter. This Tuesday (11/10), Charlie tells his self-chronicled story about struggle, emotion, drama and a love of football including his pair of extra-special visits with his favorite NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

In a truly stirring story, Charlie lost his sight just prior to entering the first grade. Doctors tested Charlie and discovered that he had a brain tumor, which crushed his optic nerve causing his blindness. Surgery ensued to treat the cancer but it was too late to fix his sight limitation. Charlie never sulked or felt self-pity. In his mind, he was just happy to have a second lease on life.

But that’s only where his story begins actually. Charlie had a burning desire to play football. So he initially joined his middle school team and now, as a high school freshman, he continues living his dream. With no regard for what others would term his “boundaries,” Charlie has made his yearning a reality. His astonishing story has quite the happy ending. Just last season he not only registered a few tackles but even sacked the opposing quarterback. Still, this accomplishment many feel is miraculous is nothing special to Charlie.

“I just block the center and try to give the other guys an opening to hit the quarterback, or if I can get past him, I simply try to hit the quarterback myself,” Charlie’s been known to say in a matter-of-fact tone.

Charlie’s amazing story and the resolve with which he reached his goal of playing football quickly made its way to the Chiefs locker room. Last year, Charlie and his entire team were special guests during a Chiefs practice. Afterwards, members of the Chiefs greeted Charlie and his teammates before Charlie’s team held a walk-through all their own on that very same Chiefs practice field. During that time, Charlie made special friends with WR Dwayne Bowe and DE Glenn Dorsey.

Earlier this fall, the Chiefs invited Charlie to Arrowhead Stadium for a special game experience. In the midst of filming his E:60 piece, Charlie got to not only rekindle his friendship with Bowe and Dorsey, but even rubbed shoulders with the likes of Chairman Clark Hunt and GM Scott Pioli. Charlie even got quite a gift as Bowe made good on a pregame promise to give Charlie the ball once Bowe caught a touchdown that game. Charlie experienced all this with his Grandpa Reynolds at his side, grinning from ear-to-ear.

While Charlie’s story is unique, in many ways it’s about more than a truly astonishing accomplishment. In actuality, it’s about how the love for football can be a bond that’s shared between those at its very lowest levels and those have reached its highest summit.

If you are interested in watching, Charlie’s E:60 piece will air this Tuesday, November 10th at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN. The program will also re-air on Monday, November 23rd at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.

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