Mountain View to honor Daniels family as its football season continues in wake of tragedy

“We’ve let them know that we’re here for them for anything,” one Mountain View player said.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — No one would blame Mountain View High School if it chose not to play its home game against Live Oak on Friday.

The Spartans, on the other hand, will be on the field a week after an unthinkable tragedy rocked their program and sparked an outpouring of community support.

They will play in memory of Lucinda Daniels, who collapsed with a brain injury while tending to her injured son, running back and defensive end Dillon, during last weekend’s game against The King’s Academy and is currently on life support. She is unlikely to survive.

“We’re thinking about putting stickers with her initials and Dillon’s number on our helmets,” said Alex Bocchieri, a senior middle linebacker on the team. “We’re going to carry this loss with us for the rest of the season, and it’ll be on our minds.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, a GoFundMe fundraiser for the Daniels family had received over 1,000 donations totaling $109,000, more than doubling the original goal of $50,000.

TKA made a contribution to the fund, and both TKA and Live Oak distributed the link to their respective communities.

In light of Lucinda’s condition, the Mountain View community believes that playing the game against Live Oak on Friday is what the mother of four would want.

“To miss a football game is something she would never even consider,” Ally Bocchieri, a Mountain View football parent who helped organize the fundraiser, said Tuesday. “I’ve tried several approaches in the last 48 hours.” But I agree that it is the right thing to do for the kids and Dillon’s family.”

Mountain View head coach Tim Lugo added, “The family wants us to play.”

Mountain View is being followed by Live Oak.

“We are doing whatever Coach Lugo wants us to do,” said Live Oak coach Mike Gemo. “We are supporting his program as well as the young men and families affected by this terrible tragedy.”

Dillon Daniels broke his leg and dislocated his ankle just before halftime in Friday’s 48-34 victory over TKA in Sunnyvale. The senior is set to have surgery on Thursday.

Brandon, Dillon’s younger brother, is a freshman on Mountain View’s JV team.

According to Diego Ortega-Gerow, one of Dillon’s closest varsity team friends, everyone is rallying around the Daniels family.

“We’ve let them know that we’re here for them for anything,” Ortega-Gerow explained. “We’re trying to help our brother at a difficult time.”

“It’s our mission,” he said after a brief pause, “to finish what we need to finish for her and Dillon.” Just go all out for Dillon… and I’m just playing in her honor.”

Lucinda was conscious when she was placed in an ambulance, but her condition deteriorated after she was transported from the field.

“We didn’t realize the gravity of the situation with Lucinda at the time,” Ally Bocchieri admitted. “We had no idea we were in a life-threatening situation.”

The teams did not play the final 20 seconds of the first half, but the game was eventually completed.

“We took a little longer halftime, which was appropriate, and then they decided to come out and play,” TKA executive athletic director Joe Maemone said, adding that his school would have done whatever Mountain View desired.