When Anthony Reighard was told by doctors that his newborn son was going to be permanently disabled because of a rare heart disease, his reply was what any father may have thought to say.

“How am I going to tell my little boy that he can’t play like other little boys?”

Conner was born with “textrolagy of Fallot,” a rare complex congenital heart disease which frequently has a significant impact on the quality of life.

The condition is diagnosed as having four structural abnormalities in the heart and a ventricular obstruction which causes deoxygenated blood flow from the heart to the lungs.

“Blood is blue until it receives oxygen and then it turns red,” explained Anthony. “My son was not getting enough oxygen.”

Conner needed surgery when he was six months old, and a patch was placed upon a small hole in his heart which allowed it to get the proper amount of oxygen.

“I kind of knew when I was about three years old that I had something wrong,” Conner said, “but I never let it bother me. I go all out when I play sports.”

After the successful surgery, his natural growth then provided his cardiologist with unexpectedly good results.

By age seven, Connor’s obstruction was gone and he was medically cleared to play Little League tee ball.

“When he played on the 7-9 year-old team, he won the home run derby,” said his father proudly.

Conner also played Knee-Hi football at an early age, first with Panther Valley and then with Tamaqua. Fast forward to high school, and he hadn’t played football since elementary school.

“I really missed playing football,” he said. “I got back in it my junior year.”

Despite having fewer visits to his cardiologist, his athletic participation must be closely monitored and if he experiences symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath, he has “pull back” according to advice Anthony gets from his son’s medical team.

“Of course, I worry every time Connor steps onto a football field.”

“I just have to be careful and take it slow,” Conner said.

As a junior varsity player, Connor plays linebacker.

At just 5-7 and 160 pounds, he has recorded 40 tackles — 10 tackles for losses of yards, three quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles (one which he returned for a touchdown).

Now a senior, Connor gets opportunities to play in varsity games.

Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner has admired Connor’s dedication to his team.

“He’s there every day at practice, and he works as hard as anyone,” said Bonner. “He understands his role on the scout team, and that is to help prepare us for whatever opponent we are playing that week.”

Conner holds Bonner in the highest regard.

“Coach is a great motivator. I learn a lot just by his choice of words.”

Off the field, Conner maintains an academic 3.5 grade point average, and is planning on attending college next year.

“I wanted to join the Marines, but I can’t with my condition. I’d like to study criminal justice and maybe become a lawyer.”

His father believes that Conner is a good example to others who have been diagnosed with serious health issues.

“I hope these kids try to run with their dreams like my son is doing, and don’t just sit and do nothing.”

And right now, despite having a serious disease, Conner Reighard is running with his dream ... and that dream is playing football for the Tamaqua Blue Raiders.