SUMTER, S.C. — A Sumter native has received the 2022 Disney Spirit Award for being an inspiration after a tough medical diagnosis.
Tylee Craft plays football for the University of North Carolina. While he’s been in Chapel Hill fighting on the field, he’s also been battling stage four lung cancer.
It's the diagnosis no one wants to receive, but what Craft found out he had at just 20-years-old back in March.
"They was saying if he don’t get chemo soon, he is not gonna make it. Like, his body was already shutting down," his mother September explained. "It was devastating. I just, you know, started screaming, crying or whatever that I couldn’t lose my son."
"It kinda hit us hard. Hit us all hard," his brother Taykell explained.
Tylee got a medical red shirt for the season, but it hasn’t slowed him down much. Between receiving chemotherapy treatments, visiting doctors and attending class, he’s still been traveling with his team. According to his brother Taykell, he's even been practicing when he can.
"He was right back to practice and stuff. Running and, you know, workouts," Taykell shared. "So it was kind of crazy."
His mother added, "Tylee is being Tylee. He’s always smiling."
Other people have taken notice of his positive attitude. Tylee recently found out that he’s receiving the national award, which honors one inspirational college athlete each year.
"It means other people are looking up to me," Tylee reflected. "So as long as they’re looking up to me and I’m being a positive role model, then that’s all that matters."
"It’s heartwarming, knowing that it’s a lot of people that actually cares and stuff about his story and want to know his story," Taykell added.
Through it all, Tylee tells me he’s felt support not only from his coaches and teammates in North Carolina, but also from "the people here in Sumter."
"The team, high school…just everybody in general. So it’s just a lot of love from all of them," he continued. "All the way in Chapel Hill, I’ve felt them rallying around."
Tylee is continuing to get treatment every three weeks. In the meantime, he’s listening to advice from UNC's chaplain.
"He just told me to keep swinging," Tylee shared. "That’s all I’ve been thinking about."