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Football seniors help buy new bike for freshman teammate

Blaze Fitch says he usually has to ride his bike to school and football practice everyday

DEFIANCE, Ohio — After a Defiance High School student's bike was stolen earlier this week, two of his fellow students stepped up to help.

Every day, when the weather permits, Defiance High School Freshman, Blaze Fitch rides his bike to school and football practice.

Blaze said because of his parents work schedule, he usually doesn't have a ride, so he wakes up early and bikes instead.

But after a football practice and a homecoming bonfire earlier this week, Blaze discovered that someone had stolen his bike.

"When I got home I went to tell my parents, and my Dad was livid about it," Blaze said.

What happened next isn't something you see to often now-a-days. 

When two of Blaze's football teammates saw what had happened, they didn't complain about it on social media, they took action.

"That's wrong, whoever did that. I think we should all pitch in and buy him a new bike," said senior Tyrel Goings.

Goings and fellow senior Zach Parrish got together with other players, teachers and other peers to gather enough money to buy Blaze a brand new bike with a bike lock to go with it.

"I was very grateful, and they really let me know that they're here for me," said Blaze. 

The players said it was a no-brainer to help out one of their own.

Saying the lessons they have learned from their head coach, Kevin Kline, have taught them to think of the bigger picture.

"You know, he wants us to be better men after football, there's more to life than football. So, bettering yourself as a person and those around you is one thing, a major thing that I've taken from him," said Parrish.

"I think sometimes today youth get scrutinized for a lot of things," said Kline. "When you have guys like this that kind of step up and they show you that it's still about human decency, we understand how that works and we want to take care of others as well; it makes you feel good as an adult like you're impacting kids and that you're doing the right thing."

"We just want to help out people whenever they're in need, you know? Don't be that person that just sits back and watches, take action and just help out whenever you can," said Goings.

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