?I wished I could be out there. The guys gave me a nice welcome,? he said.

In the pit of his stomach, he felt the deep and unmistakable yearning to be there on the green, chasing the football and maneuvering skillfully between the best of the best. But even as he battled with that profound nostalgia, he was able to reconnect with his long lost love?football!

?It was nice, enjoyed it?? he recollected.

Even with one leg amputated, Pappy White, 24, still has dreams of playing football again. His dream extends beyond himself and encircles young people who are aspiring to play the sport.

In describing himself, Pappy told us, ?When I?m working, I dedicate myself to what I?m doing. I?m a straight up kind of guy. I stand up for what I believe in. If you?re wrong, you?re wrong. If you?re right you?re right.?

Pappy got his start in football at the age of 9 or 10, as a student at St. Joseph Primary School. He credits Sir George Brown with his early exposure to the sport. All through his school days, at both St. Joseph and Nazarene, Pappy continued playing football.

?I grew up playing sports, football mainly, but also basketball,? he said.

What drew you to football at the age of 9? we asked.

?My father is a referee, a coach as well. He used to coach when he was younger with Sir George Brown? He started to take me to the ball park at MCC and I started to work out, playing the small leagues, under 12, under 14, under 16, and from there, first division. B-Pro. I stopped playing for a little while and after that it was back at it.

?I played another year with Yabra and the following year at Semi Pro with Kulcha Yabra Semi-Pro team. The first year, I won the championship as a rookie as well. The second year, I played with Yabra for a while and I went on playing with Belmopan for the second year. We reached as far as the play-offs. We didn?t make it too far. And the next year, I came back to play with Yabra. That was when I had an accident, while [I was a player] for Yabra.?

Pappy White recalls that one Saturday morning, on February 19, 2005, his friend, Lewis, invited him to go to Bermudian Landing to catch iguana and to go visit another friend he had not seen for 5 years.

?It was a nice Saturday morning. My neighbors asked if I wanted to go and catch some guana, and we decided that nothing was happening so might as well we just have a little fun. So we went. Everything with the trip was O.K. I attempted to catch a few, a few of them escaped,? he recalled.

In case you?re wondering how one catches an iguana, according to Pappy, all they did was attach a string with a loop to a long pole and cast them over the iguana?s head. When they pull the pole, the string tightens around the iguana?s neck and he?s caught!

After their iguana catching adventure, the trip took an awful turn on their way to Double Head Cabbage.

?As we left from the Community Center of Bermudian landing, three minutes, five minutes into this ride, the unthinkable just happened,? he said. ?So we hit the curve, there was this cycle coming on the left hand side, but it was too much on our hand and so to avoid it, the driver pulled off the road and while he was doing that and trying to get back on the highway, the left rear wheel popped off and that caused the vehicle to flip. So the vehicle is flipping, somehow I flew out. It happened so quick. By the time I realized what happened, I was on the ground.?

There were 6 of them in the Isuzu Rodeo and two others had been flung out of the vehicle, including George Lewis, who he said died on impact.

Tears still well up in his eyes as he tells his story, but Pappy?s grief is somewhat abated by his belief that he was fortunate to have come out of the accident alive. ?Thank God for that,? he said.

?It?s like a part of me just got ripped out,? he expressed. ?It is still rough for me, not being able to play football anymore.?

The accident brought his 15-year football career to a standstill, but he has refused to let go of hope.

According to Pappy White, Mr. Camara from Orange Walk is working on a prosthetic leg for him. After the accident, he had tried to get a visa to go abroad to get medical treatment, which he believes could have saved his leg, but he was denied his visa.

He gets hope and inspiration from seeing the Brazilian handicapped footballers playing with crotches on the television.

?It?s amazing to see them do that. I wish I could get a break to do that again,? he said, but notes that perhaps he could only get that opportunity to play again if he does so internationally. Before his injury, Pappy had played for Belize in both Sweden and Peru.

As to how he copes with his new reality, he told us, ?Family and friends are right by my side. My girlfriend sticks right by my side, so that makes it a lot easier. People show you love like there?s nothing wrong. You lost a leg but it?s still you.?

He also recalls that the community came out heavily in support of him when he needed financial assistance, and they have also rendered a lot of moral support.

Now Pappy thinks about venturing into on-air commentating, as well as playing defense. He also told us that he would like to coach young people, starting at the primary school, where he himself began under Sir George, and then moving to higher levels.

He closed with these words of encouragement for readers: ?If you have a dream and you believe in yourself? push for that as long as you believe in it. It?s in you. People will discourage you and try to bring you down, but it?s up to you??