COLUMBIA, S.C. — Tylee Craft, a beloved University of North Carolina wide receiver and native of Sumter, has passed away at the age of 23 after a courageous battle with stage 4 lung cancer.
Craft's family spoke with News19 about their loss, with his mother, September, reflecting on the importance of honoring her son's legacy. “I just feel like he would have wanted us to be at the game. I feel like he wouldn’t want to have taken his last breath with me there,” she said.
As UNC prepared to play Georgia Tech last Saturday, fans, teammates, and family gathered to pay tribute to Craft. Tragically, he took his last breath after the first quarter at a hospital in Chapel Hill.
“I just told him, ‘Go ahead and go to God. Don’t sit here and keep fighting.’ I can’t be selfish, as much as I want him here,” September shared.
A 4-star recruit and standout player at Sumter High School, Craft had plans to pursue football at UNC until his diagnosis before the 2022 season sidelined his athletic career.
"You wouldn't even know he has cancer unless he looked ill. A lot of people said there is no way he has stage-4 cancer because he still looks healthy," his mother recalled. She said Craft inspired many in the Sumter community with his determination and resilience both on and off the field.
“A lot of these kids get lost to the streets and caught up in stuff and mess up their careers. And he would let them know, ‘Hey, I have cancer, but I’m still truckin.' He would follow it up with 'I may not be on the field, but I’m still standing on the sidelines, and I’m still there,'” September explained.
In his final months, Tylee remained dedicated to his team, frequently attending practices and games, uplifting others with his unwavering positivity. “I didn’t have to constantly tell him to don’t give up. He wasn’t going to give up,” September said with pride.
A memorial service is scheduled for next Sunday at Sumter High School, where friends, family, and teammates will gather to celebrate Tylee Craft's life.