MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. – Not a dry eye at Medical Lake High School as senior Owen Pitts earned a starting role on the boys basketball team, drained the game’s first points, and had a special early graduation.
Owen has terminal leukemia, which reappeared in brain tumors back in September. He underwent successful brain surgery a few months ago to extract some of the tumors, but there are still too many for safe surgery to remove.
Owen’s parents said they were blown away by the packed crowd and overwhelming backing of friends, family, and the whole town.
“I have really no words for the love and support that they are giving Owen, and just this whole event,” Rachel Pitts, Owen’s mom, said. “Everything they’ve done for this. But, it’s so awesome that we can do this now for him. And just love on him, and make life goals for him.”
Medical Lake’s head basketball coach, Brett Ward, shared his emotions as a key member of the group that set up tonight’s big event.
“Incredible,” Ward said. “I was fighting back tears the entire time, just trying not to cry. Seeing the community come together, and seeing him get that moment that he deserved meant a lot to everybody in here, myself included.”
Owen boards a flight this weekend to Kansas City to watch his favorite Chiefs host the Houston Texans.
Stay tuned for a full piece on Owen coming next week.
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