An intellectually disabled high-school student who rarely gets to participate in the same activities as his siblings surprised his family by making a star appearance in the marching band at the season opener. Isaac Brealey-Rood shocked his mom, Carissa, who was watching from the bleachers. She thought he was just there to help set up the equipment and run water bottles for the band as he couldn’t play an instrument. But to her amazement, Isaac was front and center on drums alongside his classmates and older brother Aidan, who plays the xylophone. Isaac was admitted after Aidan begged his mom to let him be part of the marching band at school, she agreed but had no idea he would be playing an instrument. During practices, Isaac’s band director and classmates decided they didn’t want him to be relegated to a simple helper role, so worked together to teach Isaac some basic percussion. And during Oñate High School’s first marching performance of the season Isaac was placed near the front – wowing the crowd with his enthusiasm.