Binge Sports: RIP Lauren Hill

I don’t even want to say “Welcome back to Binge Sports” as I had zero plans to write an article today. But I write today with a heavy heart with the news that at the age of 19, Lauren Hill has passed away.

I’ve never been a fan of the phrase that someone has lost their battle with cancer. Let’s be honest with ourselves here. Death is undefeated. Always has been. Always will be. But it’s how someone chooses to live that ultimately matters, and Lauren Hill chose to live a life of inspiration, a life of helping, a life of hope.

After her diagnosis, Lauren set goals for herself. She set out to play in at least one college basketball game. She played in four. She set out to raise one million dollars in the fight against pediatric cancer. Through The Cure Starts Now, she helped raise nearly 1.5 million dollars, a figure that’s sure to grow as this fight continues without her.

There’s really no other way to say it than this, so I’ll just say it. This sucks. I know that’s not the eloquent way to say it or the best writing I’ve ever done, but believe me, I could write something much worse. I lost one of my dearest friends to cancer before she even reached thirty, and it’s so sad to see this remarkable young woman who inspired so many not even make it to twenty. And Lauren Hill certainly did inspire. She showed us that in the biggest challenge of her life that she could face it with dignity, class, and grace. Her love for the game of basketball gave her an outlet to get away, to be normal again. And she used basketball as a portal to the rest of the world. Over 10,000 people showed up for her first game. The national coverage began and the word was out. Lauren Hill is here. Lauren Hill is here to fight. Lauren Hill is here to help the next generation in their fight as well.

Even as her condition began to worsen, she continued to battle each and every day. She fought through hospice to play in another basketball game. Maybe she thought that the more games she played, the more people she could help. She took time out to visit children who had cancer and considered Lauren their hero. This is how Lauren Hill chose to use the last year of her life. In a sports world full of negativity, this courageous young woman showed us all that a positive outlook can change the world. Lauren Hill is gone, but her legacy will live on forever. She showed us that one Division III women’s basketball player can transcend sports. This really never was a sports story anyway. This was a life story. This was a story of one girl with a dream. And she turned that dream into a reality. And that reality inspired millions all over the world, including a no-name writer in the Midwest with a dream of his own. Thank you Lauren. It’s been an honor and a privilege to follow this story. It’s unfortunate that Lauren won’t be here to see what she’s done. While the cancer may have taken her body, it didn’t take her soul. She wanted so desperately to be here to see a cure, but because of her, we’re at least one step closer to that reality. It’s because of people like Lauren that the next generation has a better chance than she did.

As I sit here writing this, I’m amazed that I’m so emotional about somebody I’ve never met. Maybe it’s because I’ve been following this story from the beginning. Maybe it’s because she had a dream and she followed it. Or maybe it’s just because of the person she was. Even in death, Lauren Hill showed us how to live. This all started with one basketball game and became so much more. It became a life lesson and it’s a pretty simple one. Never give up.

Please join me in Lauren’s fight. Go to www.thecurestartsnow.org to donate to this wonderful cause. How did the Lauren Hill story touch your life? Please feel free to comment below or tweet @BingeSports and/or @THElukenorris to share your thoughts. Rest in peace, Lauren. Thank you.