Arlington High's Sam Soto Battles Cancer While Staying Part of the Colts

Football runs deep in the Soto family. Sam's father wore the Arlington High Colts uniform, and Sam had spent years working toward that same goal—earning his way from freshman center to JV starter before finally cracking the varsity lineup as a junior. It was the fulfillment of something he had been building toward since he was five years old, playing alongside the same kids who would eventually line up with him on Friday nights.

Then, in the spring, the back pain started. What began as a physical limitation on the practice field eventually led to a doctor's visit, a round of tests, and a diagnosis that no family is prepared to hear. Sam's parents drove to Arlington High School with tears in their eyes to deliver the news: cancer had been found in his body.

His playing career with the Colts was over. But Sam Soto was not done with the team. Rather than step away, he became the equipment manager—preparing helmets and uniforms for the teammates he had grown up with, staying inside the brotherhood he had worked so hard to join. Coaches began using his example in pregame talks, pointing to his presence on the sideline as a reminder of what it means to want to be there.

About a month before this story aired, Soto received word that he was cancer free. But in early October, an MRI revealed a spot on his brain, and the fight resumed. Through it all, he has continued showing up—low energy and all—keeping his place in the Colts program and offering his teammates something no depth chart or win-loss record can provide: perspective.