CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A CMS high school student received a celebration he would never forget ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
A partnership between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and the non-profit group Dream on 3 allowed Robert Short to go on the dream trip of a lifetime.
South Mecklenburg High School's Exceptional Children’s Extension teacher said of Dream on 3, "What they do is they choose a student with a life-altering condition and they grant them their sports dream."
Short, who lives with Down syndrome, has faced challenges that sometimes limited his ability to connect with his peers, but he's always maintained a positive attitude and lived each day to the fullest.
"He's very charismatic," the EC teacher said. "Everyone knows him. They want to be his friend and want to be around him because he makes people smile."
A surprise celebration was held at South Mecklenburg High School on Thursday where Brown was announced as the lucky recipient of the trip.
A group of South Mecklenburg High School student leaders, part of Dream on 3's Jr. Dream Team, surprised Robert with the announcement and a limousine ride to the airport.
Short is a huge football fan, and he was ecstatic at the news.
He's known to be full of NFL knowledge and enjoys testing his skills with sports trivia games with his family. His dream is to one day become a sportscaster and entertain other fans with his knowledge.
Short and his family will attend the draft, where he will have the opportunity to walk the NFL draft red carpet and take the stage to introduce a Tennessee Titans pick on Day 3 of the draft.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.