East Lyme — In this, the season to be thankful, Jordan McCoy could be a walking, talking, breathing conflict. Thankful? For what?

The recent death of his mother?

Never knowing his biological father?

The rhythms of life in a new school and new town with, essentially, a new family?

Unsure about his future because of all the unanswered questions from the past?

And yet McCoy, cheerful, popular and entertaining, might get elected mayor of East Lyme High School.

He's perhaps the most thankful guy of them all in the land of maroon, whose football season is a win away on Thanksgiving from extension into the state playoffs. Even McCoy, approaching 1,000 rushing yards in the only time he's ever really played, admitted that he never saw this coming.

"All the stuff that's happened," McCoy was saying recently from the East Lyme locker room, "feels like it made me who I am. And I like who I am."

So who is he?

McCoy attended New London High last year. He was on the football team, but never played a down. And he had lived with the daily ache of his mother's coma, prompted by an asthma attack. The coma lasted more than a year until last April when she died.

McCoy was living in an apartment on his own as a high school kid near Coast Guard Academy. He could not live with his siblings, which include two older sisters. He could not live with Seth Samuel, whom he referred to as his "step-father." McCoy kept those reasons private. Samuel, however, has provided McCoy financial support. McCoy has nothing but appreciation for him to this day.

In the spring of 2009, McCoy was within inches of leaving school to find a job. He was alone, except for his friend, Nico Marcelo.

Marcelo, living in New London with his mother, Anita, decided to leave New London High and move in with his father, Tony Scarpa, who lives in East Lyme.

"Nico asked me 'can Jordan come and live with us?'" said Scarpa, who has a two-bedroom condominium. "He seemed like a good kid. I thought about it and figured that he was such a nice kid, even if I didn't have the room, I'd figure something out."

And with that, a new household was born: One Scarpa, one Marcelo, one McCoy.

Everybody's happy.

"It's not easy with two 17-18-year-old kids," Scarpa said. "They have a curfew. But there hasn't been a problem. Jordan knows that he can come to me. Sometimes, he asks for 20 bucks. He knows if I have it, I'll give it to him. But the bills come first."

McCoy and Marcelo are the closest thing to brothers at the high school without being officially brothers. They met in eighth grade. They admit to getting into a scrap or two together.

"A good kid. A cool kid," Marcelo said. "He knows I always have his back and he always has mine."

Scarpa couldn't overstate the generosity and support from the high school and community in general. It's become the feel-good story that keeps getting better.

McCoy's success in football has generated an interest in college. He's gathering information about various loans, improving his grades and wants to assemble a highlight package for prospective coaches.

"People might think that coming to live with me was about football," Scarpa said. "But honestly, the kid never played all that much."

McCoy said, "I didn't think I would get into it so much. I was going to quit. Nico convinced me to stick with it. Playing for Coach T (East Lyme coach Paul Tenaglia) is cool. He makes you want better for yourself, but he's really laid back about it."

And now McCoy and classmate Kevin Miao are close to combining for 2,000 rushing yards for the Vikings (8-1) who will go to the playoffs with a win over Waterford on Thursday.

Jordan McCoy told his story in the middle of the locker room a few minutes before practice. Every teammate that passed had something to say to him. A joke, a pat on the back, some acknowledgement.

They are as thankful for having him as he is to be among them.