RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) — Eastern Kentucky University is keeping the memory of a former ball boy alive years after he died from cancer. Jared Chitwood wasn't old enough to play for EKU, but he made an impact on the team anyway.
"He sat behind the basketball goal at the games. He'd wipe the sweat off the floor. At halftime, he'd rebound for the guys. After the game, he got to shoot on the main goal. It meant the world to him," said Coach A.W. Hamilton.
Midway through high school, though, things took a turn.
"He had just turned 15 when he was diagnosed," said Kim Chitwood, Jared's mother. "I called him my giver and my helper. He loved helping others. He loved being active outdoors, helping do anything that he could. He wasn't used to being the one that had to receive help. Unfortunately, he got to that point where he had to be the one that needed help,"
Jared died of Leukemia in 2018. In the years since, the team has honored him and tried to help in the push for a cure.
"We want to honor Jared. We always want to remember Jared. We want to raise awareness. It's not just about raising money. It's about raising awareness," Hamilton said.
Hamilton knows firsthand how important that is.
"It's a big deal to me because I battled cancer. It's a big deal to me because I have three little kids and when you have kids, your worst nightmare is something happening to your kids," he said.
Kim Chitwood shared Jared's story with the team and gave out "Team Jared" shirts. Then, the team and the Chitwoods walked together from the campus training center to the arena for Thursday evening's game.
"You hope and pray every single day that one day they'll find a cure for cancer. You never want to lose a life, especially a young person, to this disease," Hamilton said.
