Eastmark High School linebacker Kevin Winegar battling leukemia - 12news.com KPNX

MESA, Ariz. — Mesa Eastmark High School linebacker Kevin Winegar is successful a combat of his ain aft the team's archetypal authorities title title. 

"Our beingness has travel to a standstill, but I'm present for it,” Doorly Winegar, Kevin Winegar’s mother, said. “That's what I'm present for."

It was a diagnosis that took the full Winegar household by surprise; acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is simply a benignant of crab of the humor and bony marrow that affects achromatic humor cells.

Fresh disconnected Eastmark 4A authorities rubric win, Winegar was diagnosed with this circumstantial benignant of cancer.

"I conscionable thought, 'man, this sucks,' but I tin get done this, and I've adjacent been playing shot with it,” Winegar said.

In fact, this quality came respective weeks aft the precocious schoolhouse shot playoffs meaning the linebacker battled done assorted symptoms connected and disconnected the field.

“I had fevers, nighttime sweats, nonaccomplishment of appetite, nonaccomplishment of weight, and conscionable chills often,” The linebacker said. “I would beryllium successful the schoolroom conscionable shaking my butt off. As that started to progress, truthful did the genu and the hep symptom and associated pain."

But the diagnosis came connected Dec. 13, and the Winegar household had to bash their champion to process the astonishing news.

"This is simply a kid that knocks retired helmets connected the field, and present helium is battling cancer, and there's conscionable nary way,” Kevin’s parent said. “it's intolerable to judge that it's him."

Although passim this two-year process of chemotherapy and treatment, Winegar has established a affirmative mindset and is leaning connected his religion to get him done the astir trying clip of his young life.

"I cognize God was determination with maine during that game, and helium decidedly helped maine with my pain, and I was capable to play astir of the rubric crippled and get done this,” Winegar said. “And due to the fact that of God, I tin get done this signifier of my beingness arsenic well."

Winegar has finished his archetypal circular of chemo, but determination are countless treatments to inactive travel successful the future. Throughout this journey, Kevin has received enactment from adjacent friends, the full shot team, and his household connected a accordant basis. Something No. 48 does not and volition not ever instrumentality for granted.

"I've been with this radical for astir 3 and a fractional years, and it's been 1 hellhole of a thrust with them,” Winegar said. “And I'd similar to support going connected that thrust with them."

Winegar tells 12Sport, the attraction volition instrumentality astir 2 years to implicit and, successful the meantime, volition modulation to homeschooling. The sophomore views this arsenic a impermanent setback and plans to play shot yet again erstwhile healthy.

If you would similar to donate to Kevin’s GoFundMe leafage to assistance assistance with his treatments, click here.

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