Winning and success is just one of the many things that makes Carolina such a special place. Being able to be a student-athlete at UNC the last four and a half years has been an absolute blessing. The friendships and memories I’ve made are some that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I love Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina, and Carolina Athletics. This place has given so much to me and will forever be a part of me.

About a year ago, I was introduced to Bryce, a young man from Rockingham County, who was undergoing cancer treatment from Dr. Thompson at the UNC Hospitals oncology center. Bryce began to swing by the Bosh after his treatment was finished – he’d hit some BP in the cages, throw off the mound, race with some of our guys, do some curls in the weight room and hop in our players’ lounge to play some ping pong and video games. He’s a very active kid who loves the outdoors, and this became a really good way for him to get some enjoyment out of his trip to Chapel Hill.

He was able to just play and be a kid, and honestly, our guys probably enjoyed it more than he did at times. In September, we learned Bryce was in remission, and we were all really excited for him and his family. He got to ring the bell at the hospital, and we threw him a little party at the Bosh where we signed him as an honorary Tar Heel Baseball player. He was excited to just get back to normal, go back to school, and play with some of his friends.

About two months later, the cancer had returned in a much more aggressive form. This time, it returned in three separate areas and Bryce left home to begin treatment immediately. Needless to say, it was devastating news. Just when he had gotten some good news, everything seemed to come crashing back down. Bryce has a motto that he likes to say often and live by: “Faith over Fear.” As everything is seemingly crashing down around him, he continues to have faith and fight.

Bryce is one of the strongest humans I’ve ever been around. Bryce’s never-give-up spirit and will to fight has been an inspiration to our team. He has shown what it means to have true resilience and he encapsulates what it means to be a Tar Heel. I’m forever grateful to have known him and have him be my friend.

When you support Carolina Athletics, you’re impacting so many other lives than the one or two athletes whose scholarships you provide. Yes, you’re helping us win championships on and off on the court or the field. You’re also impacting communities and families all over the state and country that you have no idea about. And that is what is so remarkable about this place. The Carolina Family is something that I’ve been able to see firsthand in my time here at Chapel Hill, and it’s so special. It is the reason that people say, “at UNC, it’s not a four-year decision, it’s a 40-year decision.”

Carolina has been and always will be a place of excellence. It is something that does not solely reside on campus, but it’s the standard we take with us in the community, in the workplace, and in our families. It’s something that stays with us forever. The standard began many, many years ago and continues today because of the student-athletes, coaches, staff, and so many others whose generosity makes this place what it is. As a current student-athlete with just a little bit more time left in the Southern Part of Heaven, I relish the moments I have left on campus.

I’m forever grateful to be a Tar Heel.